National Muslim holiday concludes

Moses Utomi / Staff Writer / The USD Vista

“An estimated 1.4 billion Muslims worldwide capped 30 days of fasting and prayer with the Eid Al-Fitr, a celebration marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which began Sept. 2 and ended Oct. 1.
Named for the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is a period of spiritual purification and social responsibility. The most well known aspect of Ramadan involves fasting.

Dr. Bahar Davary, a professor in the Theology and Religious Studies Department, said, “Fasting is one of the most common forms of religious activity and is practiced across all religious traditions. Christians generally observe a period of fast and abstinence during the season of Lent. The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, can be considered as a Jewish parallel of Ramadan.”

For Muslims, fasting is even more integral to the faith since it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. During Ramadan, all able-bodied Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset, and then are allowed only moderate consumption.

The fasting extends beyond food and drink. During those hours, Muslims must abstain from all illicit acts as detailed by Islamic Law and all sexual activity, even between spouses. Ideally, all improper behavior and impure thoughts are suppressed or shed altogether.

However, there’s more to it than just fasting.

“Above all, Muslims are encouraged to actively contribute to the welfare of the less fortunate in the society,” Davary said.

For example, all those too old or ill to fast are expected to feed one poor person each day in place of fasting. Muslims in general are to be more generous with their wealth and resources during this time.

To close out the month of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, which roughly translates to “Festival of Breaking the Fast.” The Eid is typically celebrated with public prayers followed by games for children and plenty of food for everyone. Muslims in different parts of the world may have slightly different observances of the holiday.

In the U.K., the Muslim community holds large, traditional Eid celebrations. Areas that are largely Muslim may close schools and businesses for up to three days. In predominantly Shiite Iran, Eid is personal and muted. The morning prayers are led and then the day is spent in private with relatives and close friends.

At USD, the International Student Organization gathered to celebrate campus diversity and the Eid Al-Fitr by sharing Middle Eastern foods.”