Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2003)
VrTALl sa ure :ed mersette' ulture Fffi ndu Studr Relief host india 1 it and idara ights. the sale: 1 will beef'' ch supped datives I# ation acti: lerica anil engineefie: ■ganizatioe: lia from 350!: ar said tore Di ndia's !S. It iS [»' by mem xpressioe excitemefi be pr chase foo: s of Indian distr ved. Ite sistofpcie fed riceael wide raogi by lii sources s to me it they aft oing undef i," Resit ‘People jia out bee© me.” a the resB als used fe letter and is fresh, usin: to Colles eer. “] I has suclu ■of-the-liii( ;lege I r the satf our ci Baghdadi! m coalilio: i has her :d Saddi lie helief U.S, with louil' ghborhod before lit ninelarjf' the empi) icture, nmediatel) lisofSri' :h attacks ry tactits effect of ig Iraqi led tactic )N Ediior ef Editor 'roducer duriogtte ir session liversityin cesarein I; E-mail; : or class- and ofce ntiopicl scripti'oiR eror$10 '-2611. Aggielife The Battalion Page 3 • Friday, November 14, 2003 Fasting fellowship Fasting during Ramadan helps Muslims focus on religion, self-sacrifice By Kendra Kingsley THE BATTALION On a cool November night in College Station, Texas, Saeahat Gulan and Zaynah Danquah slip robes (called jihbas) over their clothes, secure their head coverings (called hijabs) and leave their apartment to celebrate one of the most important holidays in the Islamic religion: the fast of Ramadan. Located on a quiet street, the Islamic Center of Bryan- College Station is bustling with devout Muslims who are prepar ing to recite the words of ancient Arabic prayers. Two entrances separate the Muslim men and women because the Muslims believe dividing the sexes prevents distractions dur- ; the prayers. Gulan and Danquah enter the foyer designated for women. Here, they remove their shoes to prevent bringing dirt into the mosque, which is supposed to be clean for prayer at all times. Inside the mosque, a two-way mirror serves as a wall between the Muslim men and women so that the men will not be distracted while they pray. On one side of the mirror, the Muslim preacher (called an iman) begins an Arabic chant, which signals the beginning of the Tarawih, a special prayer recited only during Ramadan. Soon, the men have lined up side-by-side to recite the Tarawih; the women, who are able to see the men through the glass, follow their words and motions. The men and women fall to their knees and drop their faces to the ground to assume a prostrating position while they pray. “Your face is the most honorable part of your body,” explains Danquah, a 21-year-old biology student at Texas A&M. “When s on the ground, you’re basically telling God he’s the highest power - which is what Ramadan is all about.” Muslims follow a specific schedule during the holiday, which requires fasting from sunrise to sunset. The Sunnah (a record of the prophet Muhammed’s teachings) urges Muslims to eat a pre dawn meal (called sahur) to give them strength until their next meal at sunset. During the day, Muslims are encouraged to morally discipline themselves — avoiding arguments and impure thoughts. Immediately after sunset, Muslims are allowed to take a meal called iftar, literally meaning, “break the fast.” Currently, Islam is considered a minority religion in the United States - especially in the South. Yet Danquah, whose patents are first-generation Muslims from Jamaica, says growing up the predominantly Baptist “Bible Belt” was not an alienating experience. In fact, if anything set her apart from the other students in her Killeen, Texas, elementary school, it wasn’t her religion. “My sister and I would constantly fight over clothes,” she said. “My mom got so tired of listening to us argue about who was going to wear what that she ordered us clothes from a school uniform company in New York. She made us wear white oxford shirts and light green jumpers to wear to school every day. Since green and white were our school colors, we looked like the most school-spirited kids every day.” As she got older and began wearing hijabs to school, Danquah found that her Muslim roots became an object of fasci nation to other students. I understood that I was different from the other kids, and I got used to answering all of their questions about the Muslim religion,” she said. “No one gave me a hard time about it, but it could be difficult during Ramadan when the other kids were eat ing lunch. I’d usually bring a book to the cafeteria so I could distract myself from the food.” Ahmed Aden, an electrical engineering student who attended first through 12th grade in Virginia, said his memories of Ramadans are more painful. “During junior high and high school, kids would wave pieces of cake in front of my face because they knew I was fasting,” Aden said. “In college, people have outgrown that type of behavior and are typically very understanding when I explain why I’m fasting.” Because Ramadan is scheduled according to the lunar calen dar, it begins on a different day each year. This year, Ramadan began on Oct. 27 - which, because it’s during daylight savings time, means the fasting day is shorter. Aden, like most Muslims, began participating in the fast of Ramadan when he hit puberty several years ago - when the holi day began in the sweltering summer months. “It used to be so difficult for me when I first started fasting because it seemed like the days lasted forever,” he said. “Now, because I have more patience and the days are shorter, I don’t usually find it too difficult to make it through the daylight hours without food.“ When Aden feels tempted to eat throughout the day, however, he tries to avoid situations that involve food. “If I know there’s going to be pizza at a meeting, I usually won’t go,” he said. “When I get hungry in between classes, I’ll pretend like I’ve left my wallet at home and can’t buy food any way.” Muslims are allowed to eat before sunrise or after sunset dur ing Ramadan, and Aden says he adjusts his meals accordingly. Yet, a bowl of cereal at 5 a.m. and a sandwich at 7 p.m. is hard ly a typical daily diet for the 24-year-old. “During the fast, I feel like I get a little taste of what it’s like to be starving,” he said. “Here in the United States, everything’s at your fingertips. During the months I’m not fasting, I find myself going through the McDonald’s drive-through or snacking on chips even when I’m not hungry. Fasting makes you realize how much you really need to survive.” U During the fast I feel like I get a little taste of what it’s like to be starving. Here in the United States, everything’s at your fingertips. During the months I’m not fasting I find myself going through McDonald’s drive-thru or snacking on chips even when I’m not hungry. Fasting makes you realize how much you really need to survive. — Ahmed Aden senior electrical engineering major Because Ramadan is intended to strengthen a Muslim’s rela tionship with God, spiritual benefits naturally follow, Aden said. “After the fast, I always feel rejuvenated because I’ve renewed my faith,” he said. “I’m a little sad when Ramadan ends because I feel so much closer God during that month. I know it has to end, but sometimes I hope the Islamic officials don’t notice the moon’s position at the end of the month so that Mahesh Neelakantan • THE BATTALION we can have a longer Ramadan.” Aden, who is not married, confesses that the most difficult part of Ramadan for him is giving up food during the day. Married couples, however, face additional stipulations. During Ramadan, husbands and wives are required to practice sexual abstinence during the fast. That stipulation, which serves as an additional test of self-control, is something newlywed Sarah Ashraf finds “empowering.” “Knowing you can wait until after the fast gives you disci pline and really makes you feel so strong,” said the University of Houston student. “It’s important to realize that we aren’t meant to have everything we want when we want it.” Across the world, more than 4.1 million Muslims recognize the fast of Ramadan. In predominantly Islamic countries, such as Jordan, Syria and Turkey, public life, commerce and govern ment virtually slow to a crawl - especially when Ramadan falls during the summer. Muhammed Munawar, president of the A&M Muslim Student Association, describes the sacrifices as “lessons in patience.” Munawar says he often faces scrutiny from his classmates, who don’t understand why Muslims must fast during Ramadan. “Classmates have asked me why we force ourselves to go hungry,” said Munawar, a junior industrial engineering major. “But the essence of Ramadan is not to torture ourselves, but to tame our inner selves and become better people.” Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world, and Munawar says he sees the religion growing at A&M - espe cially during Ramadan, when people take more notice of Muslim practices. “People are always fascinated by fasting, and we’ve had a lot of non-Muslims come to our meetings and ask us what Ramadan is all about,” Munawar said. “Even if they’re part of a different religion, non-Muslims are usually very supportive because they understand we’re doing this all for God.” For those who don’t understand why fasting is one of Islam’s most religious practices, Munawar has a simple answer. “When you say something nice, other people hear you,” he said. “When you give money to charity, other people take notice. But when you fast, no one except God notices. That’s why it means so much - because you can fool other people, but you can’t fool God.” THINKING OF MOVING? K u< , n LETS TALK. Move over to The T radition for the rest of the 03-04 school year and you can: Rurivt a ono-ttine Room and Board cmiii of up to ssoe T.ork.in jhjj* year’s rates lor next year! GROUP RATKS as low as s.l'i.'i per monthly installment lilt: Lnginccring , Honors and Sorority students Move into one of the blocks reserved for these groups and atiromatieall v get the rate! "Student Organizations: 10.4 from your group get the oite. pliis a donation to your organization & aa ess to our meeting rooms! All Ags: Form your o\\ n group of IO & you also get the rate! As always. 1 he Tradition offers eonvenienee: ALL-INtT.VSlYK rates and a great LOCATION. Call today for more information. A T NORTHGATE Aggieland, Texas JKscxweJRoesearcIi i You may qualify for a clinical research study if you have any of the following conditions: ne. SINUS INFECTION? • Males and Females 18 years of age or older • Have a frequent cough, facial pain, pressure and/or tightness • Up to $400 paid for time and travel. SORE THROAT? • Males and females between the ages of 2 and 12 • Have a sore throat/scratchy throat, pain or swelling • Reimbursement for time and travel. o. <0, <s> OiscoverysSSf discover o J? Medical assessments, study-related diagnostic tests, and investigational medication are provided to qualified participants at no charge. (979) 779-3303 or 888-438-9586 toll free