American Muslims Gather to Break Fast
September 4, 2010 The holy month of Ramadan is marked by fasting from dawn to dusk. Muslim Americans end each day of fasting with a festive meal known as Iftar. After a long day, they relax and share the rituals of Ramadan from sundown to the predawn hours. As the sun sets, several Muslim families gather in this home overlooking the Potomac River. They will break the daily fast together. Each family has brought a dish to share. Aida Mady is an interior decorator and a member of the American Muslim Women Association. She is hosting the Iftar. “We pray, we thank God every night and it reminds me of Thanksgiving, and I am grateful to God because...
Sense of Community Supports US Muslims During Ramadan...
September 02, 2010 Sandra LeMaire | Washington Midway through the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims gather at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, or ADAMS Center, mosque to pray. Located in Reston, Virginia, the center was formed 25 years ago to attend to the needs of the Muslim community. Deputy Director Khalid Iqbal says people from 15 different countries, including the United States, participate in the center’s wide range of activities. During this time, ADAMS sees a spike in attendance. “During the month of Ramadan, we also serve meals every evening for breaking fast for almost four to five hundred people,” Iqbal explains. “I think because of the hardship and tough economic times more and more people are coming...
Ramadan Tests US Teen Athletes
September 01, 2010 Dora Hasan Mekouar | Washington, DC When the George C. Marshall High School cross country team assembles each day for practice in Falls Church, Virginia, Maha Hassan is not among the runners. Instead, the 16-year-old athlete walks around the school track on her own to try to keep her conditioning up. Hassan is not running this summer because she is observing the Ramadan fast, which means she abstains from all food and drink during the daylight hours. Added challenge The timing of the Muslim fast changes each year. It occurs during the ninth lunar month of the year and begins with the sighting of the new moon. This year the holiday began on August 11,...
Halal Cosmetics Founder Hopes to Broaden Appeal...
August 26, 2010 David Byrd | Washington A mother of five from Birmingham, England has launched her own line of halal cosmetics. Samina Akhter started her cosmetic and personal care line because she was disturbed by some of the ingredients in over-the-counter products. Akhter is hoping her line will appeal to non-Muslims as well as serve the needs of her own community. When you open the website,saminapuremakeup.com, a flash movie featuring several beautiful models greets you. All the women have flawless, smooth skin, moist lips, and alluring eyes. Midway through the movie a model appears in a head scarf, but that is one of the few clues that the product line appeals to Muslim women. One of the images...
Local Pakistani Flood Relief Group raises funds for flood victims...
By Lauren Byrnes The MetroWest Daily News Posted Aug 24, 2010 @ 12:00 AM Members of the Pakistan Flood Relief Group collected a “small mountain of clothing” at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland on Sunday for the victims of the recent flooding in that country. Hudson resident Yasmin Khan, one of eight organizers, said the clothing collection went “very well.” Organizers began collecting clothing two weeks prior to Sunday’s clothing drive, Khan said. Clothing was also collected at other Islamic centers in Quincy, Sharon and North Smithfield, R.I. Despite Ramadan observances, Jamila Khalil, a member of the relief group and the Pakistan Association of Greater Boston, wants to spread the word about the need for aid...
Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan Begins
Muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, while sweltering heat in the Middle East is putting an extra strain on those who are fasting. Ramadan started earlier than usual this year, although there is some disagreement between the two main sects of Islam on the exact starting date. Sunni Muslims began fasting at dawn Wednesday, while Shi’ites are expected to start Thursday. The discrepancy is due to differing interpretations of the lunar calendar. High heat across much of the Arab world has raised concerns for families, particularly in places like Baghdad and the Gaza Strip, where electricity is routinely cut off for hours at a time. To mark the month of Ramadan, U.S. President Barack...
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