Ramadan Message

I have visited every mosque of every denomination of Islam for Iftaar during Ramadan including Ahmadiyya, Bohra, Ismaili, Shia, Sunni, WD Muhammad and within Sunni many branches.  Thanks to the blessing of Allah, I have prayed in all the three Mosques that are dear to us; Kaaba, Masjid Al-Nabwi and Masjid Al-Aqsa. I have chronicled the practices of each place, both the rituals of fasting and prayers.  Each Mosque has its own culture and practices.  None of them are dramatically different but are significantly different to notice.

You will find plenty of pictures of different Mosques I have visited as well.

We have to respect each tradition and not look down or up or have the arrogance to believe that mine is the right way. Indeed arrogance is inversely proportional to piety and God consciousness where as Humility take you closer to God. 

 If we can learn to respect the otherness of others and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. Then we would truly understand the vastness and diversity of Islam. It would help us look to the other with respect, and that is what Islam expects us to do.

God says, I have created all of you from the same couple, and have made you into many communities, tribes and nations.  Each one is unique and bound to have conflicts. Then he says, the best ones among you are those who take the time to understand each other, and when you understand each other, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.  Thus creating a society where no one has to live in fear of the other.  That is Islam!

God gave us  freedom, but the need to feel secure makes us violate the common good tenet and resort to �my� good causing an imbalance in the society and fear between people. However, God assures us, that because he loves us (more below), he sends us someone among us to guide us back on the righteous path, and that guidance is called Religion.

Today is the first day of Ramadan, the 9th month in the Muslim Hijri (Migration) Calendar, which began with the Muslim exodus from Mecca to the city of Madinah.

Ramadan is one of the 12 months of lunar calendar with 354.37 days in a year, as opposed to the Solar Calendar with 364+days.  However, every 33 years, the the Solar and Lunar Calendar coincide on the same day.

Like the Jewish and Hindu Festivals, Muslim festivals are based on lunar calendar, and usually begin 11 days earlier each successive year, as the lunar year has 354.37 days, roughly 11 days less than the Solar Calendar. It will take six more years for Ramadan to occur in Spring time, right now the fasting will be long for more than 14 hours a day without any intake in the body.

Ramadan should not be understood by Muslims alone, it is an observance that all can relate with. I  have put together different thoughts about Ramadan from an universal perspective, so our Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, Bahai, Buddhist, Native Americans, Jain, Sikh and other  members of the family of faiths can relate with. Even those friends who do not believe in God, can at least get an idea about Ramadan, so, together we can create societies where we know each other,  and with that fewer conflicts and greater goodwill to sustain for all of us.

What does God want from us?

Like a mother who wants her children to live well, like a teacher who wants his students to do well, and like a chef who wants his patrons to enjoy his food�. God wants every one of his creation to live in harmony and do well.  

No one is deprived of God�s love; he has reached every human through a peace maker, messenger, prophet, reformer or simply a wise man or a good friend that brings sense to living. The creator offers a variety of guidance to the mankind, no matter where you live, the guidance is there, the guidance that leads to live in peace, and without fear of the other.

Religion is a beautiful instrument that God guides us through, and there are many of them, at least 250 traditions including a dozen major ones. Each tradition does well for the believer in bringing peace to oneself.

Today, the one tradition I am talking about is Islam, and one of its beautiful aspects that helps build cohesive societies is the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan Cohesion
May this Ramadan bring blessings to humanity, Amen! It is time for us to begin addressing the unity within the Muslim community and with the communities of the world for building cohesive societies, where no human has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. Let's start cleaning our hearts from prejudice and judgment against our own and everyone else. If the self appointed guardians of Islam cannot unite us to do good for humanity, let them not divide us either. Let there be no politics in religion. Let us fulfill a major task God assigns to humanity, the best among you is the one who knows each other and cares for the other. 

For the last 4 years, I have been chronicling Ramadan Daily - iftar a Masjid, visiting every denomination of Muslims without prejudice.

More about it at http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/2011/07/ramadan-cohesion-2011.html

Ramadan Mubarak

Welcome to Ramadan, it begins today, July 9th, 2013. It is the month of fasting, a month of learning about others, connecting with others, developing empathy with fellow beings and above all reaching new heights in piety and spirituality,  Taqwa as it is called. It is to become closer to God and emulate his qualities of unselfishness, forgiveness and love. It is a month of practicing service to fellow beings and developing self discipline to learn to live they way we want, and being conscious of every moment of the day for 30 days.  

The Politics of Ramadan at Washington Post

Politics plays a crucial role in our Temples, Synagogues or Churches, Mosques are no different. A few scientifically-inclined-Muslims have adopted NASA�s calculations believed to be precise. However, four different traditions are operating concurrently; i) Strictly Calendar, ii) NASA and iii) Sighting with bare eyes and iv) sighting by others in the community.

Muslims around the world will begin fasting from Tuesday, July 9th, and for a whole month thereafter, however, for some of them it will begin (only) if the moon is sighted. The story is same with the Jewish and other traditions that follow lunar calendar. Rosh Hashanah like Ramadan comes 11 or 12 days earlier each successive year. Continued at - http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2010/08/the_essence_of_ramadan_is_to_become_humble.html

The Spirit of Ramadan at Huffington Post

The spiritual masters have captured the human gravity towards rituals and have molded it with the art and science of self-discipline in their respective religions. The noble purpose of each one of them was to bring a balance in our lives and a balance with our environment.

Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Fasting is one of the five key rituals that Muslims around the world observe. Rituals signify the milestones of our daily life. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual. It is an unwritten way of measuring our progression, a memory pattern to bring discipline to our actions. Continued http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/spirit-of-ramadan_b_939961.html

The Traditions of Ramadan at Ramadan Exclusive

its celebration time when Muslims around the world anxiously wait for the first moon of the ninth Lunar month to appear on the sky. The families gather in their backyards, or get on the nearest hillock or climb on the top of their homes and wait for the pencil thin moon to appear on the horizon, and when it does, jubilation begins. Continued at: http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/2010/09/traditions-of-ramadan.html

Welcome to Ramadan at Ramadan Exclusive

Insha�Allah, the first day of Ramadan will begin on Tuesday, July 09, 2013 and Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, August 19, 2012 per the announcement from ISNA. Continued at: http://ramadanexclusive.blogspot.com/2012/06/welcome-to-ramadan-2012.html

Quraan says, had God willed, he would have made every one of us alike - then he says, he chose to make us into different tribes and nations from the same couple (or the same source). Then he goes on to challenge us to know each other - he knows that our conflicts stem from not knowing each other, and living with misinformation about others,  when we know each other,  conflicts fade and solutions will emerge.

Every religion means peace and Justice and that is acceptable to God. He says, you need not worry who you are, as long as you take care of your neighbor, I will recompense you. Each one of us is responsible for our Karma.

He concludes ( Quraan 49:13) that the best among us is the one who knows each other, learns about each other and respects each other. If we take the time, to learn, every religion is out there to bring goodness to humanity.

Be good to yourselves and every one around you. Happy Ramadan.

Mike Ghouse is committed to nurturing the pluralistic values of Islam and welcomes everyone to explore Www.worldMuslimCongress.org and several related sites listed at www.MikeGhouse.net and www.TheGhousediary.com

Ramadan day 1, Tuesday - Richardson Mosque

Ramadan Day 1, Tuesday, July 9, 2013 | Ramadan 2, 1434 
Richardson Mosque
811 Abrams Road, Richardson, TX 75080
www.Iant.com
(972) 231-5698
Imam: Dr. Imam Zia Kavakci
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Ramadan day 14 iftaar at Home

NO WRITE UP TONIGHT

Title - Ramadan day 13  Iftaar at home

Date - Thursday, August 2, 2012 | Ramadan14, 1433

29 Mosques - 29 days of Ramadan at:  www.RamadanDaily.com

Today�s Pictures: No Pictures
Iftaar Time today: 8:31 PM CST

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Mahesh Bhatt's article about Ramzan, Ramadan

Collective force By MAHESH BHATT

Note: I don�t have the source for this article, but written exceptionally well. Mr. Mahesh Bhatt is a renowned film maker from the Bollywood film industry, he had made some super hit movies. Wiki, �Mahesh Bhatt (born on 20 September 1948), is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam,Sadak and Zakhm.

Mahesh Bhatt was born to Nanabhai Bhatt, a Hindu Brahmin and Shirin Mohammed Ali, a Muslim on 20 September 1948.^[1] Nanabhai Bhatt was a film director and producer of Hindi and Gujarati films. Mahesh Bhatt was raised by his mother alone as his parents were not married and his father also had another family. He has five siblings, four sisters and one brother Mukesh Bhatt, who is a film producer.

Collective Force.

Here is the article:

The Famous Film maker and Human Rights activist MAHESH BHATT
observes daily fast (roza) during Ramdan ? Why?

On the 14th day of Ramdan, as I drove back home to break my daily fast (Roza), a deep on my cell phone alerted me to an incoming message. This is what the message said: Hello, Mr. Bhatt, I understand through your utterances and writings that you are not a religious man and you do not believe in the efficacy of prayer. But I have now learned that you maintain Roza in the month of Ramdan. Your actions, Mr. Bhatt, bewilder the Hindus and shock the Muslims as well. May I ask why you keep Roza?

This question from a stranger made me smile but since the query was an innocent one I instinctively punched in my response, which was, Islam is a part of my heritage. I was born to a Brahmin Hindu father and a Shia Dawoodi Bohra Muslim mother.

When I was a child my mother would ensure that I fasted for at least one day in the month of Ramadan. I remember her telling me that during the month of Ramadan the Muslims say that the gates of heaven are open. This is the month when Muhammad received his first revelation. After my mother died six years ago I realized that the only way to keep her alive within me was to fast for every single day in the month of Ramadan.?

That evening when the distant Azaan was heard and the clock announced that the day's fast had come to an end, my parched body welcomed the first sip of water that I had taken in 14 hours like a desert  would welcome rain. As I bit into an overripe date I discovered that at this particular moment I was a part of this collective release which bound me together with millions of people in my country and all over the world with such unnatural force that I experienced a sense of exhilaration like I had never experienced before. And it was then that for the first time I realized what the spirit of Ramadan is really all about. When so many people together wholeheartedly share a common purpose, they are united in a way that one has to experience to truly comprehend. And the exhilaration comes from the fact that it's not about the individual alone but about all of us, together, doing something so completely. And it is perhaps this feeling of brotherhood that makes fasting in Ramadan such a unique and joyous experience.

(Mike�s Note - Two years ago, I wrote that in on any given Iftaar, i.e, breaking of fast at sunset,  at least 5 Billion dates (fruit) will be consumed, and for thirty days, 150 Billion dates - that is a lot of consumption of dates. You can also find some interesting stats. This is a conservative figure, as many a places dates are not available)

In this buy, consume and junk age where one's consciousness is being bombarded by all kinds of pleasure peddlers who market their mouth watering food and drink on the hour by the hour, it is such a relief to shut the door to them and their wares and protect your body from an over dose of pleasure. In the month of Ramadan one takes  a break from the hedonistic way of life. One gets off the treadmill of constant pleasure seeking and lives a life of austerity and simplicity. This rejuvenates the physical organism and fills one with unusual vigour. As days turn into weeks you being to realize that the human organism spends too much energy in trying to process excess food intake. The maxim that man is killed by too much food begins to make sense.

In the first few days of Ramadan, when the pangs of hunger gnaw at your insides leaving you to constantly stare at the clock, you suddenly feel as if there is an invisible umbilical cord connecting you to the sea of otherwise faceless people all over the world that often go for days without a square meal. Your apathy and indifference slowly begin to fade away and your heart begins to wake up to the all-pervasive suffering of your fellow human beings

Another thing that makes this Ramadan even more special for me is that my 13 year old daughter Alia has for some strange and unknown reason spontaneously decided to fast along with me. Like you fast for your mother, I fast for you, she said simply after I asked her what prompted this unexpected decision. No wonder a wise man once said, "What you teach you children, you also teach your grand-children." I wonder whether years ago while my mother was shaking me awake in the hush of the morning light and whispering, "Beta, time for Sehori", she knew she was also awakening her future grand-children. Isn't this at the end of it all what culture is all about?