Ramadan a time to give back, Manitoba Muslims say as holy month begins
A Winnipeg woman says while Muslims will be fasting for the next 30 days to mark Ramadan, the holy month isn't only about abstaining from eating and drinking — it's also about bonding with others through prayer and being mindful of those experiencing oppression or suffering.
"As the years have gone by, it's become more spiritual, more about self-improvement and how I can help improve maybe a lot of the community around me," Tasneem Valli told host Marcy Markusa in a Friday interview with CBC's Information Radio.
Fasting is a sincere act of worship during Ramadan — the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar — and one of the five pillars, or fundamental practices, of Islam, Valli said.
During Ramadan, which began this year on Saturday, many Muslims observe a fast from dawn until dusk. The festival of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month and the fasting period.
Muslims, excluding young children and people who are sick, elderly or pregnant, get up before dawn to eat suhur, an early morning meal, followed by iftar, an evening meal to break the fast after sunset.
People typically eat iftar together as a way to bond with each other — a ritual that makes Ramadan "profoundly more meaningful" each year, Valli said.
She said she usually breaks her daily fasts by eating dates, which are rich in fibre and provide an energy boost.
This year, she said she'll reflect on how food insecurity affects people in Manitoba and across the world, while looking for ways to show her support and also speaking out against social injustice.
The president of the Brandon Islamic Centre said Muslims in Manitoba's second-largest city are also focusing on ways to give back during Ramadan.
"[We] do fasting for the reason that we can learn to value what we have and be grateful for all the blessings we have been given, and … to feel empathy for the people who have less than us," said Amir Farooq.
He expected more than 100 people to attend the centre on Friday evening for Taraweeh, special prayers performed during Ramadan which involve the recitation of parts of the Qur'an, he told Radio Noon host Marjorie Dowhos in a Thursday interview.
The Muslim community has grown in Brandon and its surrounding area in recent years, said Farooq, which he attributes to the outreach and supportive environment at the centre.
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