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A Time of Refreshment: Ramadan Nears an End, Marked by Prayer, Charity
For many local Muslims, Ramadan has been a month of togetherness.
“It’s like an annual refresher,” said Fahim Khan of Flint Township, the Genesee Academy school board president.
“Although most people generally believe it is about not eating or not drinking, in fact that’s probably the least of the whole thing.”
The holiday, which began Aug. 1 and ends early next week, is a time for Muslims to reflect and honor God through prayer and denying themselves food and drink during daylight hours, Khan said.
“You would think one would be eager to get this month over,” said Hesham Gayar, a member of the Flint Islamic Center and Grand Blanc Islamic Center boards. “Actually, you love it so much, your spirituality is high, that you do not want this month to end.”
The community comes together during nightly prayer, with 600 to 700 people worshipping Friday and Saturday evenings at the Flint Islamic Center, Khan said.
Many also open their doors to family and friends for the evening meal that breaks the daytime fast.
Abdelmajid Jondy, president of the Flint Islamic Center, said he’s eaten only three or four meals at home since the holiday began.
“Ramadan is a generous month,” he said.
That generosity extends beyond the local Muslim community, with fundraising efforts at the Flint Islamic Center this year raising $110,000 for relief efforts in famine-stricken Somalia through Mercy International, Jondy said.
That connection with family and friends also makes it a special time of year, said Abrar Jondy, 22, former president of the Muslim Student Association at the University of Michigan-Flint and a physical therapy student.
“Everyone looks forward to the atmosphere — you’re doing something good together,” she said. “It’s a really nice moment where everyone is reflecting together.”
As the month draws to a close, attendance at Flint Islamic Center services increases. The final 10 days of Ramadan are marked by additional prayers and acts of kindness.
During one of the final 10 days, generally accepted to be on one of the odd-numbered dates, the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, Khan said.
“It is very special for us,” he said. “We all try to seek God’s pleasure by doing more prayers and being extra nice.”
Ramandan ends with a large celebration, Eid al Fitr, which usually lasts three days.
During Eid, numbers at the mosque can swell to about 1,000 people, Abdelmajid Jondy said.
“(After Ramadan), you will miss all the togetherness, the donations, the fundraising, eating together, shaking hands with everybody,” he said. “It doesn’t happen during the year like that.”
Kayla Habermehl
The Flint Journal