Ramadhan is a special month of the year when over a billion Muslims all over the world consecrate their faith in worship or meditation. Politicians can learn a lesson or two from this Muslim practice, especially now that the country is facing a lingering political and economic crisis.
BY LYN V. RAMO
Northern Dispatch
BAGUIO CITY (246 kilometers north of Manila) ? Government officials can get an important lesson from the Ramadhan, particularly the practice of fasting.
?Fasting is prescribed for you and those before you so that you may become righteous,? Bede Jim Abdullah, coordinator for Muslim education concerns and an Imam at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), shared a Qur?an passage he read in the Arabic language during a press conference last Sept. 21 at the Office of Muslim Affairs here.
Eight Islamic religious leaders, including two women, dwelt on vital information on Islam and the practice of fasting during Ramadhan, the ninth month of the Hijrah (Islamic calendar). This year?s Ramadhan starts on Oct. 5 when the New Moon appears.
Ramadhan is a special month of the year when over a billion Muslims all over the world consecrate their faith in worship or meditation. A 12-hour fasting, which starts before sunrise (around 5:30 a.m.) and ends at sunset everyday for 30 days characterizes Ramadhan, which started when the Prophet Mohammad received the Qur?an through Angel Gabriel, Abe Abdul Salam dela Cruz, secretary-general of the Ramadhan Al-Mubarak Committee 2005 said in an earlier interview.
Muslim fasting
Dela Cruz said that fasting for Muslims began with the first prophet, Adam, in the Islamic faith. No food or a drop of liquid may be ingested during the fasting. All Muslims are expected to observe fasting, he said. ?Only the very young, the elderly, the pregnant or breastfeeding and women with menstruation, and the very sick and convalescing individuals are exempted,? he said.
Dr. Maimona Candao, also a Muslim, said that there are only few medical constraints to fasting. Those with stomach ulcers, severe renal disease and type 1 diabetes may not practice fasting, she said. ?Even a very malnourished person is exempted,? she said.
Candao added that people who are fasting may be dizzy on the first five days but eventually, these would fade out and the beneficial effects manifest in the person. She identified benefits like reduced weight, decreased cholesterol in the blood and decreased lipids. Most of all, she said, one feels better.
A balanced diet should follow fasting. Candao recommended no alcoholic drinks, soft drinks or coffee at the break of the fast, and instead encouraged the drinking of milk.
During the 30-day Ramadhan, Muslims refrain from fighting, saying vulgar words and backstabbing. Married couples also practice celibacy when fasting, Condao disclosed. ?This is a test of one?s self-discipline and faith in Islam.?
Educating the public on Islam
Ismael Ibrahim, administrator for Baguio City, Benguet and Mountain Province told the Baguio media that his group intends to unite and educate the Muslim and non-Muslim communities to understand fasting and the practice of observing the Ramadhan.
?Islam is a growing religion throughout the world, especially in the Philippines,? dela Cruz said. ?It is the religion of peace, harmony, respect and understanding.?
The Muslim leaders said that there is a need to correct the notion that Islam is only for the southern Philippines, and that it is close and isolated.
Ibrahim said that the most important is for them to adopt and adapt an innovation in a rapidly-evolving world if they are to survive and grow and gain respect. He said Muslims here are optimistic to be a part of a progressive religion in the region.
?We wish to transform Islam from being isolated and close to an open society of self-disciplined individuals. We reject fundamentalism and radicalism,? Ibrahim said during the press conference last week.
Religious fete, cultural festival
Part of this year?s celebration is the promotion of the Islamic culture and arts. The Islamic community in Baguio City, dela Cruz said, has thought of raising the awareness of the public on the true essence of their belief and culture, which, he said, is geared towards inner cultural peace and understanding.
?This will give the public a chance to realize that Islam is not only for the southern tribes but for all,? said dela Cruz, who revealed that there are already about 1,000 Muslim Igorots in the city and suburbs. A special project to census the Muslim population in the city is now being proposed, according to dela Cruz.
Praying five times a day
A Muslim prays five times a day, Muslim leaders revealed. Dela Cruz said it is wajib (mandatory) for a Muslim to say the fajar (sunrise or daybreak prayer); the duhur (done between the morning and noontime or at 12:30 p.m.); the asar (3:30 p.m.); the magribh, at sunset and the isha at midnight.
He said, they could pray anywhere provided they do not disturb people around them but stressed that if one is near a mosque, he or she should pray there. There are several mosques around the city, the first of which is that in Crystal Cave. Today a Grand Mosque in the Campo Filipino barangay serves as the main prayer venue.
The Baguio City council recently approved a resolution allowing a month-long fete in relation to Ramadhan Al-Mubarak 2005. (Bulatlat.com)
