Ramadan begins marking Islamic holiday of fasting, prayer and reflection
The month of Ramadan, historically speaking, marks the point when the revelation of the Holy Quran started to descend upon Prophet Muhammad. The Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan has officially started. It's Imam Farhan Rabbani's first holy month in Michigan, a state he moved to just about six months ago from Virginia. He now leads both the Masjid Mahmood and the Muslim Community Center here in Rochester Hills. It's a blessing to be in different places and to meet different types of people. These grounds and these prayer halls, sacred spaces, during which hundreds of Muslims will congregate in prayer this month, some four hours a day. Men will pray in one room, with women here, in a similar space across the hall.
This month is basically the month in which we, as individuals and as community members, try to get closer to God Almighty by not just worshiping Him, but also by being in service to His creation. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and begins anywhere between 10 to 12 days earlier each year and that's depending on the lunar calendar. Pre-Sunrise to sunset fast lasting between 12 to 18 hours, depending on where you live. But the act of fasting, well, it's much more than about just food. Women and wife are required while they're fasting to stay away from their mental relations. And similarly during this time, Muslims are encouraged to give a lot of charity, go out in the neighborhoods and serve the people, feel their pain. And when fast breaks? Every single night there's going to be a free dinner where we are going to be serving hundreds of people.
And it's walking. Everybody can walk in at that time. Detroit is home to one of the largest, oldest and most diverse Arab-American communities in the U.S. Something Rabbani says has been fulfilling to explore. As for these doors and this space, they're welcoming, not just to the Muslim community here, but to anyone who's interested in understanding how this community deepens their connection to God. On one hand, it gets us closer to God.
On the other hand, it should get us closer to one another. Liz Lowent Fox, 2 News.
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