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Ramadan is here. This is the Islamic month of fasting. It runs from September 13 to October 12 this year.
So far, it's going well. It usually takes a few days to get into the routine of it and get used to not eating or drinking during daylight hours.
I work a shift from 2 pm to 11 pm and sunset is around 7 pm now, so this makes it easier as a significant part of my workday is after sunset, when I can break my fast.
Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting. During Ramadan, observent Muslims fast from dawn to sunset each day. The Islamic calendar is lunar, with each month starting at the sighting of the new crescent moon. This year, Ramadan is from September 23 to October 23, so the fasting starts tomorrow at dawn for me.
The phrase "Ramadan mubarak" means, roughly "Have a blessed Ramadan" and is a traditional greeting of Muslims to each other during the month.
A team of Christian priests thrashed a group of imams 12-1 to win Germany's first football cup between religious leaders yesterday, but it was all hugs and smiles after the match to promote tolerance."We have tried for such a long time to strengthen the contact between the three faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam," said Imam Taha, the Muslim squad captain.
"I think we can say we have achieved that today."
Around 100 spectators cheered and waved banners during the seven-a-side match, played under the eagle eyes of two Jewish linesmen one month before the World Cup kicks off in Germany.
(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower!And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female - Allah knew best of what she was delivered - the male is not as the female; and lo! I have named her Mary, and lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast.
As it turns out, Ramadan had 29 days this year (the new crescent moon was sighted in North America this evening) so I'm posting the last day's passage today. I hope nobody minds the two diaries in one day!
Quran 112:1, 112:2, 112:3, 112:4:
Say: He is God, One, God the Eternal. He does not beget and was not begotten. And there is nothing that is like Him
And they feed, for love of Allah (God), the poor and the orphan and the captive, saying: We feed you for the sake of Allah, we do not seek any reward or thanks from you
Allah (God) does not forbid that you do good and make justice for those who do not fight you in the religion or drive you out from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who do justice. Allah only forbids your friendship with those who fight you in the religion and drive you out from your homes and back those who drive you out. And who befriends them, such are wrongdoers
Be foremost (seeking) the forgiveness of your Lord and (for) a garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who have faith in Allah (God) and in His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah that He gives to whom He wills. And Allah is a Lord of great bounty
O you, those who have faith, do not some of you laugh at others: it may be that those (people) are better. And let not women (laugh) at other women: it may be that those women are better. And do not defame yourselves nor insult with nicknames - evil is the name of corruption after faith. And who does not repent are wrongdoers. O you, those who have faith, avoid most suspicion. Surely some suspicion is a sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Do you love that one of you should eat the flesh of his dead brother? No, you detest it. So be in awe of Allah (God). Surely Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful
And if it were not that humankind would become a single community, We would give to whoever rejects the Most Compassionate [i.e., God] silver roofs for their houses and (silver) stairways to climb up to them and (silver) doors to their houses and (silver) couches to recline on. And golden ornaments. But this is nothing but the pleasure of the life of the world. And the Hereafter, in the sight of your Lord, is for the God-fearing
Indeed the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of humankind but most people do not know it
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