The evening proved to be quite enlightening to the 30 or so visitors to the mosque, mostly students. After remov-ing our shoes, we witnessed the observance of evening prayers. As the sun's last rays made their way through the late afternoon clouds, the prayers finished and the group sat down for an ample and sumptuous Turkish buffet. The hosts provided a gracious and friendly atmo-
sphere as non-Muslim observers and fast breakers alike eagerly filled their plates.
After the crowd had finished eating, Ziad Abu-El-Rub, a UT AIO, explained the concept of Ramadan. The holiday commemorates the time in which the Holy Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Fasting is a Muslim religious obligation and although exceptions are made for young children, pregnant women or the sickly, everyone is expected to keep the daylight fast. This practice is more than just abstention from physical sustenance; there is a spiritual component as well. According to Abu-El-Rub, the connection between fasting and piety is the key to the holiday. He said that with holding nourishment from the body has several purposes: to appreciate the pangs of hunger that affect the less fortunate, to appreciate the blessing of daily bread and to loosen the hold of common desires on the spirit. In this fasting state the soul can then be given its proper and necessary nourishment in the form of good works, prayer and contemplation. This last component is crucial to an understanding of Ramadan. It is meant as a time of inner reflection and devotion to God, a yearly chance to recharge the soul.
As the month draws to a close, one night among others deserves special consideration: Layla-tul-Qadr, the Night of Power. This is one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan and relates to the beginning of the Prophet's revelations. Muslims are encouraged to look for their own revelation during the end of the holy month.
Since the Islamic lunar calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian solar calendar, the month of fasting migrates through the seasons. This is of particular significance to Muslims living in northern latitudes as summer Ramadan can involve extensive fasting. The cycles line up about every 32 years. This year the month will end on November 12, when the conclusion of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid Ul Fitr and the sighting of the new moon.
