Respecting ramadan
By Kelly Crane, Staff Reporter
Published: September 18, 2007, 23:50


When it comes to knowing what to do - and what not to do - during Ramadan, most of us know the basics: don't eat and drink in public places, ladies cover up more so than usual and no entertainment across the UAE.

But how many of us actually know why and understand the culture in which we, as expatriates, are living?

Salamah Ghudayer, a cultural presenter from the Shaikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding, says people should even go as far as toning down their blaring mobile ring tones so as not to offend Muslims at work and in the streets.
She says: "Anyone living in the UAE is a visitor here and should respect the traditions of the country.

Cultural lesson

"Everyone is welcome here, but that invitation has been extended in the hope each individual will try to learn a little about the religion, heritage and traditions of the country in which they have arrived."

Ramadan is the month during which fasting is obligatory for all Muslims.

It is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar (Hijri year).

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and during Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. At Maghrib, the time of the fourth prayer, the fast is broken and iftar starts.

Piety

The month is a time of piety, charity and good deeds and Muslims refrain from smoking and talking ill of others.

They are expected to spend a large part of their time praying and reading the Quran and helping people worse off than themselves by giving money to the poor or donating food to charity.

Fasting develops a believer's moral and spiritual values and keeps them away from greed, selfishness and material concerns.

Salamah added: "It is simple really. It's about being considerate to those around you. Playing loud music in your car is another thing which many non-Muslims don't think about.

"We all appreciate that not everyone knows exactly what Ramadan is about or how they should behave, but I would encourage people to learn - it is polite and shows an interest in the country you live in."

Symbols of Ramadan

There are some special decorations that symbolise Ramadan. Among them the lantern and the cannon are the most popular. The lantern signifies light and the cannon sounds the time for iftar.

People usually eat dates and drink water to break their fast as Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) did, so dates are a must on an iftar table.

Salamah Ghudayer, from the Shaikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding, said: "I would encourage non-Muslims to go along to iftar at least once during Ramadan. It is a wonderful experience and will allow you to see, understand and even meet Muslims who are fasting.

"The most basic piece of advice is to have patience. That goes for people of all nationalities - including Muslims. Non-Muslims must be open to becoming educated about the ways of Ramadan and Muslims must respect that some people are still learning.

"If we all have patience, everything will be OK."

What to do during Ramadan

Try to cultivate piety.
Refrain from bad actions.
Pray and ask for forgiveness. Ramadan is the month of forgiveness.
Read the Quran.
Help the needy and give to the poor.
Ideally, you must double whatever you give during Ramadan, if you can afford it.
Do not throw away leftover food. Donate it to the needy.
Join charity groups and do social work.
Behaviour code
Do not eat, drink, smoke or chew in public.
Do not wear revealing clothes.
Maintain decorum and propriety at all times.

quote:

Originally posted by Jansher:
Respecting ramadan
By Kelly Crane, Staff Reporter
Published: September 18, 2007, 23:50



"If we all have patience, everything will be OK."

What to do during Ramadan

Try to cultivate piety.
Refrain from bad actions.
Pray and ask for forgiveness. Ramadan is the month of forgiveness.
Read the Quran.
Help the needy and give to the poor.
Ideally, you must double whatever you give during Ramadan, if you can afford it.
Do not throw away leftover food. Donate it to the needy.
Join charity groups and do social work.
Behaviour code
Do not eat, drink, smoke or chew in public.
Do not wear revealing clothes.
Maintain decorum and propriety at all times.

JS this is a great article.
What I want to know is why these ehical qualities should be observed only at this time and not at 'all' times. Wouldn't you be a muslim of superior quality to maintianed morality, propriety, honesty and character thru our everyday lives. There are many muslims who will behave badly at other times and then maintain a moderate decorum at this special time and after back to deh old ways and thinks they will be forgiven at this time.Isn't this not allowed? had this discussion with family!!
Please share your views.

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
JS this is a great article.
What I want to know is why these ehical qualities should be observed only at this time and not at 'all' times. Wouldn't you be a muslim of superior quality to maintianed morality, propriety, honesty and character thru our everyday lives. There are many muslims who will behave badly at other times and then maintain a moderate decorum at this special time and after back to deh old ways and thinks they will be forgiven at this time.Isn't this not allowed? had this discussion with family!!
Please share your views.

They are expected at all times. The reason that they are emphacised in Ramadhaan is because the rewards are vastly multiplied. It is like "what is the return on your investment". Don't give up on those who behave badly at other times. Our opportunity only runs out after we close our eyes. Look at the bright side. They are bothersome for one less month each year. :))

Ksaz thks for the response.
Does the one month even or wipe out the score of the 11 months?? often ponder this thought!

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
Ksaz thks for the response.
Does the one month even or wipe out the score of the 11 months?? often ponder this thought!

One can only hope. Ultimately, it is up to Allah's mercy. I do see where you are going with this question. Like D2 used to say. They are all done to encourage toward being good because doing good for a reward does not really mean being good.

RQ: I have never felt comfortable with this idea of one prayer at a specific time being equal to that of the entire year, or anything like that. Of course, the verse for Sura al Qadr is in a diff.context.
But given human fallibility and iniquity, i think that it is good to see that even the most wicked amongst us, regardless of religion, can at some time, whehter it be a day or a month, strive to acknowledge a divine presence by trying to act in a way that is decidedly good. As Kaz put it, there is always hope. What matters is that for those who ask the question...and I am not getting "at" you here, for I am directing that towards myself before anyone else...is that WE ensure we don't observe it just for a day, or a month (even though God's goodness will acknowledge our effort)--but all the time.

Further for RQ: see,is rojah, and i will not talk about reds, villagebelle ,and IK and so on behind dem back, but if dem bin a good peeple, them woulda send charity for starvin saints in San Diego. But nuh..one month dem go do good, and prejudice will make dem gee food to people in TO only. Humph.

Thks for the illuminating words.
i share the same point. We must strive to be the best we can be at all times.
The more we work at it, easier it is and better we become. just that it's easier said than done.

Na tak about meh didijis. dem a gooooddd gurls.
dem have to give tu deh TO ppl fuss.
clean yuh hone house fuss then yuh neba wan.
Charity begins at home some one said.....

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
Thks for the illuminating words.
i share the same point. We must strive to be the best we can be at all times.
The more we work at it, easier it is and better we become. just that it's easier said than done.

Na tak about meh didijis. dem a gooooddd gurls.
dem have to give tu deh TO ppl fuss.
clean yuh hone house fuss then yuh neba wan.
Charity begins at home some one said.....

Finally, i come to this forum. Yes, we should strive at all time and at all places to uphold good behaviour and follow the quran and the sunnah.

Jansher: that is why Reds and she posse should have sent food to SD :-).
People here are trying to be good...but the press is really doing a nasty job of stupid negative propaganda.

quote:

Originally posted by Jansher:

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
Thks for the illuminating words.
i share the same point. We must strive to be the best we can be at all times.
The more we work at it, easier it is and better we become. just that it's easier said than done.

Na tak about meh didijis. dem a gooooddd gurls.
dem have to give tu deh TO ppl fuss.
clean yuh hone house fuss then yuh neba wan.
Charity begins at home some one said.....

Finally, i come to this forum. Yes, we should strive at all time and at all places to uphold good behaviour and follow the quran and the sunnah.

about time you came to deh forum. thks for those inspiring words. in this month of Ramadan, I thought that this forum would have been relatively busy considering it subject matter and questions/answers for those who do not understand many things can ask and get some light. But the political and social takes precedence over all else notwithstanding the fact we have a 11 months to socialize and politize gy gov't with deh mud sling...
I have a couple a questions I would like to ask.
Can I ask here or hold my peace...

quote:

Originally posted by dara shikoh:
Jansher: that is why Reds and she posse should have sent food to SD :-).
People here are trying to be good...but the press is really doing a nasty job of stupid negative propaganda.

DS you betta than to bother with the press
they are there for publicity of no-sense issues