Reflecting On the Meaning of Ramadan for Many Muslims

SHAFAQNA – Tuesday, July 5 marked the last day of the fasting month of Ramadan in the city of Revere, Boston and other cities and states across the U.S.  Most Muslims around the globe celebrated the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, July 6, and only a few countries celebrated this holiday on Tuesday because astronomers in these regions were able to sight the crescent moon on Monday.

Crescent moon sighting in the Islamic calendar marks the end of the month and the beginning of a new month.
As a Muslim, I have been doing Ramadan for almost 30 years and I have noticed that each year it gets easier and easier.

The more you practice, the more you enjoy it. Ramadan had passed this year so fast although the day gets so long at this time of the year. I remember when Ramadan just started, the Iftar was at 8:20 p.m. and I thought that it was very hard.

The following week, I went on a business trip to London where the Iftar takes place at 9:35 p.m. which is even harder. A week later, I had to travel to Amsterdam where the Iftar takes place at 10:15 p.m. This was almost impossible but it was doable, and if you go up a little further to the north to the Scandinavian countries where the sun almost stays up around the clock, Muslims fast for almost 22 hours every day.

The lesson to be learned her is that no matter how hard your journey is toward your goal, remember there are other people who have already achieved the same goal although they were struggling more than you.
If we apply this concept to what we, community organizers, are trying to do to bring the community together here in the city of Revere.

This goal may seem a little bit hard but I am sure we can do it if we all work together toward a common goal.
Last month the Moroccan American community of Revere organized an interfaith Iftar dinner where attendees were allowed to observe an Iftar in the Moroccan way.

This included trying some mouth-watering Moroccan dishes and enjoying some beautiful music from Morocco. The event was attended by religious leaders representing all faiths in the city of Revere and the majority of the city officials. Mayor Arrigo complemented the Moroccan community for their great hospitality. He added that similar events will certainly bring the community closer.

By Rachid Moukhabir –  a Moroccan American Community Organizer