Try This! Ramadan, Fasting and Self-improvement

The month of Ramadan (Muslim year 1438 AH) and fasting is expected to start on the 28th of May 2017. Expected because it is calculated according to the sighting of the moon.

First Published August 24, 2008

The Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed during this, the ninth month of the Muslim Lunar calendar, making it one of the holiest months for Muslims. This is the month for not only physical, but even more importantly, spiritual cleansing for Muslims.

The Muslim calendar is about 10 days shorter than the Common Era (Gregorian) calendar, thus, Ramadan begins about ten days earlier each C.E. Year, cycling through every season, over a period of about thirty-three years…including Summer! For those living in mild climates like the North-West United States, summer fasting is not a problem. However, in the heat of the Middle-East, Africa or Asia, fasting is a major test of endurance as well!

Observed with great ceremony, Muslims may not eat or drink from dawn to dusk each day, but there are exemptions. Under-age children, the infirm, the elderly and the ill, are exempt from the requirements of fasting while those who are traveling and  menstruating women, may make up afterwards. Some schools of thought allow for medications that do not provide nutrition, such as insulin, heart medications etc., while other schools believe nothing may be ingested during the fasting period.

BBC: United States of Hate….

I just watched the new BBC show, “United States of Hate” http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fOc56ypztRg

Interesting show. Now consider that this scenario is multiplied FIFTY times because there are 50 states and ALL of them have militarized groups like the ones shown in this show and All these groups have one thing in common; they hate Islam and Muslims.

Because their whole reason to be is so they can stoke fear of another group and fire up the hate.

Not so long ago, they hated Blacks and Jews and while they still may continue with that tradition, they don’t want to speak about it and they don’t want to be seen as preparing their weapons to kill Blacks and Jews.

Ever wondered why they no longer load their weapons and parade outside Black Churches or Jewish Synagogues? Because they know that the authorities would be on them like flies on poop and they would no longer have lives worth living, maybe they would be in jails for inciting violence and hate too.

Such a heavy reaction by the authorities is not because our Police and the FBI have suddenly developed a deep love for Blacks and Jews. It is because their bosses have been told by the political leadership that such behavior among civilians and among law enforcement will not be tolerated; Zero tolerance.

Why would that be?

Because the Blacks are finally getting their acts together enough that if one is treated unjustly, Black communities across the country start giving their heartburn. If one Jews is hurt by a civilian or by a law enforcement agent, Jewish communities across the country rise up and make lives miserable for their politicians until forceful action is taken.

Muslims, on the other hand…are not yet ready to protect themselves or their children.

We do not stand united for anything. This is the greatest irony of all because Islamophobes believe we Muslims are like a group of automatons, waiting for “The Signal” so we can rise up, take over America, rape the non-Muslim women, kill their men and install Shariah everywhere.

The reality is that there are hardly three Mosques that even speak to each other, I doubt if even two share congregational or family activities together. Each Mosque is so focused on the need to be the sole leader of ALL local Muslims that they undermine everyone else.

Almost to a man, we are so petrified of “The authorities” that we dared not give voice to our fears in front of them. It is unthinkable for our Mosques to take forceful action and demand that our politicians do more to protect Muslims and ensure equal rights. If a political or departmental leader shows up at a Mosque (after craven invitations), our brethren can be seen smiling, fawning and getting their pictures taken with the dignitaries. So why should politicians pay attention to the worsening state of affairs for Muslims?

We thrive on promoting fear and distrust amongst ourselves. It seems that the only way for us to show our devotion to God, to Islam and to the prophet Mohammed, is by showing how much we can hate other Muslims who are not just like us in their worship practices. The only time Muslims seem to stand united is when they are pointing hate-filled fingers at other Muslim groups and declaring those others to not be Muslim.

I am reminded of the sinking of the Titanic. The poor people in Steerage allowed the officials to lock the iron gates which led to the upper decks and escape from drowning, while the rich folks in the upper decks did nothing for the poor and were concerned only for their own skins. The crew were sincere people who did what they were told by the officers…who did what they were told by the civilians (the company’s Brass was on board)…who had no interest in people who could not influence the company in any way.

Thus, we continue to argue among ourselves as to who is a better Muslim and who is not, who “gets along” with the authorities and who may be “controversial” and who deserves to be “The Leader”. While we are thus occupied, our enemies, of whom the militias are only a small part (Right-wing Churches, Jewish Blind supporters of Israel and opportunistic politicians form the largest segment of Islamophobes) continue to throw more fuel into the fires of Islamophobia. It is instructive to understand that Trump does not spout Islamophobia because he might actually believe in it; he stirs it up because he knows his support base wants more hate against Islam and Muslims…and he knows Muslims aren’t worth a pile of dirt politically.

Yes, watch this BBC show friends and watch it carefully. Then try to decide if our internal divisions are helping us here or, even in Heaven for that matter (God WILL ask why we sat and did nothing). This is not something prayers are going to solve, only collective action will.

This year, will Muslims have one Eid or three? THAT will tell us whether our egos are still bigger than our faith.

Ramadan, Fasting and Muslims

First Published August 24, 2008

This year, the Muslim month of Ramadan in the year 1434, began on Friday, July 9^th  2013 .  The Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed during this, the ninth month of the Muslim Lunar calendar, making it the holiest month for Muslims. This is the month for not only physical, but even more importantly, spiritual cleansing for Muslims.

The Muslim calendar is about 10 days shorter than the Common Era calendar, thus, Ramadan begins about ten days earlier each C.E. Year, cycling through every season, over a period of about thirty-three years…including Summer!

Ramadan and Fasting…care to try it?

First Published August 24, 2008

This year, the Muslim month of Ramadan in the year 1433, begins on Friday, July 20 ^th  2012 .  The Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed during this, the ninth month of the Muslim Lunar calendar, making it the holiest month for Muslims.

Ramadan is also one of four sacred months of the Muslim calendar, during which any form of warfare is forbidden (Quran 9:36). This is the month for not only physical, but even more importantly, spiritual cleansing for Muslims.

Ramadan & Fasting; Step in Our Shoes…

First Published August 24, 2008

This year, the Muslim month of Ramadan in the year 1432, begins on Monday, August 1^st. The Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed during this, the ninth month of the Muslim Lunar calendar, making it the holiest month for Muslims.

This is the month for

Sanity, Science And Islam

It is that time of the year again, it is time for Muslims to split along lines of “tradition”, “Sunnah” (practices of the prophet Mohammed s.a.w.) and other excuses covering sectarian and political differences while hiding behind Islamic justifications.

 

In two-and-a-half months, Muslims will abandon Islam en masse, in preference for the political jockeying for being RIGHT and nobody will object to it unless it is to say that their idea of seeing the Moon is “righter” than others.

 

In two-and-a-half months, the world of Islam will suffer its fractures again as