[Peace] CIMIC: Creation of new email list

[Naeem Sheikh]

CENTRAL ILLINOIS MOSQUE AND ISLAMIC CENTER (CIMIC)

Outreach Committee

Dear Friends-

Greetings!

We have been receiving requests through the Central Illinois Mosque 
and Islamic Center (CIMIC) Outreach Committee Booth at the Urbana 
Farmers' Market, Mosque Open Houses, and online requests for providing 
more specific details about the core Islamic Beliefs.

Since you had signed up to receive CIMIC Event Information, we are 
creating a new and different list: Islam-Info-from CIMIC.  However, to 
give you a chance to decide about also joining the new list (which may 
have approx. 2-3 emails per week at most), please send email if you 
wish to subscribe to the new sub-list.

Send email to cimic at prairienet.org put on subject line: 
Islam-Info-from CIMIC.  You do not have to do anything, if you decide 
not to join -- you will continue to be on our event list.

To help you decide the nature of the mailings on the new sub-list, we
are reproducing a speech below given earlier by our Outreach Coordinator
at the University Laboratory High School on Ramadhan.  A number of
individuals at the dinner had requested that it be circulated.  Future
mailings on the sub-list may include information about the Islamic creed
and practices.

If you have more questions or concerns, please let me know. Also, if 
you choose to sign on to the new list and have topics in mind that you 
would like to see addressed in future postings, please also let us 
know.

With best wishes,

Naeem Sheikh

CIMIC Outreach Committee and IT Committee

dpc at cimic.org

http://www.cimic.org/


ESSENCE OF RAMADHAN


SPEECH AT IFF* IFTAR DINNER


AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL



Dr. Irfan S. Ahmad**, isahmad at uiuc.edu


October 4, 2006; Ramadhan 12, 1427AH


<http://www.islamicity.com/MOSQUE/ARABICSCRIPT/AYAT/2/ra101_2-183.ram>


"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was
prescribed for those before you that you may ward off
(evil)."(Al-Baqarah,2:183).

It is a unique occasion this year that the Jewish new year Rosh 
Hashana and the Muslim fasting of Ramadhan have coincided, both of 
them beginning at sundown on Friday Sept. 22, 2006.  In Muslim 
calendar the night precedes the day.

Ramadhan and the Jewish month of Tishri have overlapped. This 
generally happens after 30 some years, as both use lunar calendars. 
Like during Ramadan, Jews fast on Yom Kippur but for a 24-hour period. 
Christians also fast, the actual details may differ. The Bible 
presents fasting as something that is good, profitable, and expected. 
The Book of Acts records believers fasting before they made important 
decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23).

All of this points to the monotheistic nature of Judaism, 
Christianity, and Islam, coming from the same source: God Almighty, 
Muslims call it Allah.  Hence the verse, fasting was prescribed on 
you, as was for those before you.  This unique coincidence does bring 
across the point that we can share in religious bonds without having 
to share identical faiths. And this thought is articulated in terms of 
expression of free will in a Qur'anic verse "There is no compulsion in 
religion, Truth manifests itself from falsehood.." (Qur'an 2:256).



The month Ramadhan is the 9th month in the Islamic Calendar, during 
which Qur'an was revealed to Prophet (peace be upon him) through 
archangel Gabriel (AS). Fasting is incumbent upon all healthy adults, 
with some exceptions-such as being sick, pregnant, or traveling, etc. 
During the month Muslims greet each other or can be greeted by saying 
Ramadhan Kareem or Blessed Ramadhan.



The word Ramadhan is derived from the Arabic root word ramida or 
ar-ramad denoting intense scorching heat and dryness of earth.  When 
used in the context of Ramadhan fasting, it indicates the heating 
sensation in the stomach because of thirst.



Ramadhan is also meant to scorch out sins with good deeds, as the sun 
dries or burns the ground.  Scholars have indicated that its name also 
signifies that human hearts and souls are more readily amenable to the 
admonition and remembrance of God during Ramadhan, as the sand and 
stones are receptive to the sun's heat. There is a unique similarity 
between the heat and its properties to that of Ramadhan. While the 
heat represents the matter that transforms shape and form, and molds 
literally an array of matter- from metal and plastics, to plants and 
living cells- Ramadhan undoubtedly helps a serious believer remold, 
reshape, reform, rejuvenate faith, and helps renew physical and 
spiritual disposition and behavior, and makes the person courageous. 
Research has also shown that Ramadhan has a positive affect on one's 
body, and helps medically, as it cleanse the body of the accumulated 
toxins- and for the weight conscience it can help there too, provided 
one does not go on a feasting spree at the end of the day. But these 
are all secondary benefits.



The real challenge is how Ramadhan transforms our daily life, and how 
it improves our behavior.  Fasting is to give up your desires, for 
something much more desirable and that is the Pleasure of God.



So, why go hungry, I am well-fed, well-stocked, what is the gain, and 
whose gain it is, and why God would care?  What God says in the Qur'an 
is that of all the obligations, my servant's fasting is purely for me. 
Fasting is something, which only God knows about.



How does it matter to you if I am fasting or not?  If I am unable to 
discharge my duties to my family, friends, colleagues, and the society 
at large.  That is the challenge, and that is what Muslims strive for 
i.e. to be better in conduct.  Yes, one takes a pre-dawn meal, and 
does not eat, drink, and controls desires during the day until sunset, 
and then breaks fast with a date and water followed by a meal.



But fasting is also meant to help develop an appreciation of what it 
is like to be hungry, it helps one connect to the less fortunate, it 
also helps manage one's food and carnal desires.



Therefore, at the end of the day, that drink of water or a piece of 
date gives one the appreciation of God's bounties, which sometimes we 
take for granted and forget that there is a source for all this. 
This is the kind of lesson, we need to be teaching our children and 
reminding ourselves- that the money, the food, the shelter, the 
parents, our children, all are a gift and a trust from God, and the 
trust has to be managed appropriately.  We have to talk about what it 
means to be a human, while I whet my physical appetite by eating food, 
how about nourishment of my soul, it needs support too.  Otherwise a 
void remains-which simmers through life.



Fasting helps a person make tangible behavioral changes; as forewarned 
in a hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Whoever 
does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah (The Most High) 
is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not 
accept his fasting.)" -Bukhari



During Ramadhan Muslims are more charitable, are also more mindful of 
the reason of their creation- and that is to glorify God, and they do 
this by engaging in longer prayers, and try to spend time in worship, 
reading the Qur'an and seeking the night of power during the last 10 
days of Ramadhan.  The month-long fasting is celebrated with the 
festival of fast completion known as Eid ul Fitr, this year it is 
going to be on Monday Oct. 23, 2006.



Therefore, Ramadhan fasting helps makes the heart become tender, and 
one comes out of it better molded, better shaped, more generous and 
tolerant, and with superior physical and spiritual disposition.  This 
means better human beings, better family, better society, and better 
world.  Ramadhan is like a tune up station.  In one of Prophet 
Muhammad's sayings, he said that one who has seen Ramadhan and did not 
avail, has lost.  As no one knows how long one lives.

***

Meaning of word Ramadhan.  Accessed Online Sept. 24, 2006.
http://www.muhajabah.com/ramadan-faq.htm


Utheimeen, Ash-Sheikh Muhammad bin. Fasting. Translated by Abdullah
Al-Farsi.  J.D. Series on Islam No. 17.  Jeddah D'awah Center, PO Box.
6897, Jeddah 21452.



Iqbal, Navid.  2006.  Jewish, Islamic holidays coincide.  Accessed
Online October 4, 2006.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060923/COMMUNITI
ES/609230337/1203/NEWS01



Additional Information

What Judaism and Islam have in Common

* Both faiths are strictly monotheistic.

* Each has its own prophets, sharing belief in Abraham, Moses and 
others.

* Each has its own strict dietary customs -- kosher in Judaism and 
halal in Islam.

* Each has its divine text, the Quran the most important in Islam and
the Old Testament Bible in Judaism.

* Judaism's Talmud and Islam's Hadith carry practical wisdom.

* Religious laws for each faith are called the Sharia by Muslims and 
Halakha by Jews.

* Jerusalem, with its political complexity, is sacred to both Jews, 
their spiritual homeland, and Muslims, where the prophet Muhammad 
ascended to heaven.

*IFF: Intercultural Friendship Foundation, a registered student 
organization.

**Dr. Irfan Ahmad is a research scientist.  He is CIMIC Outreach
Coordinator, and former President and member of the Board of Directors
at CIMIC.