bahai Haifa
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which commemorates God giving the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad,[1] begins on the evening of Aug. 10.[2]
More than a billion Muslims observe Ramadan worldwide.[3] That includes Israel, where the almost a million Muslims who live there – about 15 percent of Israel’s population – observe Ramadan openly and freely.[4] Those who fast on Ramadan do so from sunrise to sunset.
Israel’s Declaration of Independence ensures religious freedoms for all of its inhabitants, stating that Israel, “will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions.”[5]
Muslim Israelis are an integral part of Israel’s workforce. Israeli law mandates that Muslims receive the three days of Eid al-Fitr – usually a joyous festival marking the end of the fasting period[6] – as vacation days. Although Islam does not consider Ramadan a time of rest, Muslim workers may choose to leave work as early as 2 p.m.[7][8]
During Ramadan, Israel also extends special considerations to Muslims who serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which has regulations respecting the holidays and days of rest of minority ethnic groups.[9] IDF policy states, “Fast days are permitted for every soldier according to his own wishes on set, religious fasting days. The fasting soldier will be exempt from every role during hours of the fast, and at the end of the fast will receive a hot meal.”[10]
Additionally, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has instructed soldiers to try and refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in front of Palestinians during Ramadan.[11]
To signify the passing of the Koran from God to Mohammad, Muslims read part of the Koran each night during the month-long holiday.[12] Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and coincides with the lunar calendar. [13] In addition, capable Muslim adults are obliged to fast during daylight hours and strive to become closer to God through self-reflection.[14] Ramadan focuses on fasting, which is the fourth of Islam’s five pillars.[15]
While many Muslims use the month of Ramadan to make a pilgrimage to Mecca – the fifth pillar of Islam[16] – a custom in Israel is to take that time to travel to Jerusalem to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque. The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and the world’s second oldest mosque.[17]
Israeli Ministry of Education Web sites in Hebrew educate the Israeli population on facts relating to Ramadan and Islam. The Jerusalem municipality, in the past, has funded Ramadan decorations in the city, increased street-cleaning around Muslim holy sites, and helped to provide sheep for Muslim residents to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.[18]Muslims typically eat sheep during the break-the-fast celebrations of Eid al-Fitr.[19]
Ramadan ends Sept. 9 with the reappearance of the crescent-shaped moon.[20]
Religious terminology of Ramadan:
* Sawm, or fasting, refers to the period between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan when Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse and other activities that may distract them from self-reflection.
* Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at the end of each day. The meal is primarily intended to provide nourishment as well as an opportunity for family and friends to gather and recite certain passages from the Koran.
* Eid al-Fitr is usually a joyous festival that marks the end of Ramadan.[21]
Footnotes:
[1] Bronner, Ethan, “Jews and Muslims share Holy Season in Jerusalem,” The New York Times, Sept. 28, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/world/middleeast/29ramadan.html?_r=1&ref=ramadan
[2] Siddiqi, Dr. Muzammil, “Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr: Special Announcement,” The Fiqh Council of North America, http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/, accessed Aug. 2, 2010
[3] “Ramadan,” Holidays.net, http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/ramadan.htm, accessed July 26, 2010
[4] “People: Minority Communities,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, April 1, 2008, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts%20About%20Israel/People/SOCIETY-%20Minority%20Communities
[5] “Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, May 14, 1948, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel
[6] Beran, Paul, “Celebrating Ramadan: A Resource for Educators, “ The Outreach Center, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/RamadanMiddle-HighKit.July08.pdf, accessed July 26, 2010
[7] Goldstein, Tani, “Guide: When to Work During Holiday Months,” YnetNews, Sept. 24, 2005
[8] Amri, Ehud, “Organizing for the Arrival of Ramadan,” Local Jerusalem, Sept. 13, 2007, http://www.local.co.il/jerusalem/34695/article.htm, trans. by TIP Staff
[9] “Obligations and Rights: Relgion,” IDF, http://www.aka.idf.il/rights/asp/info.asp?moduleId=6&catId=22706&docId=22735, accessed Aug. 3, 2010, trans. by TIP staff
[10] Ibid.
[11] Weiss, Efrat, “Soldiers won’t eat in front of Palestinians,” YnetNews, Aug. 21, 2009, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3765078,00.html
[12] “Ramadan,” Holidays.net, http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/ramadan.htm, accessed July 26, 2010
[13] Ibid.
[14] “Ramadan: Month of Fasting,” Islam101, http://www.islam101.com/ramadan/, accessed July 26, 2010
[15] “The Five Pillars of Islam,” Islamicity.com, http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/pillars.shtml, accessed July 26, 2010
[16] Ibid.
[17] “Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem,” Atlastours.net, http://www.atlastours.net/holyland/al_aqsa_mosque.html, accessed July 26, 2010
[18] Amri, Ehud, “Organizing for the Arrival of Ramadan,” Local Jerusalem, Sept. 13, 2007, http://www.local.co.il/jerusalem/34695/article.htm, trans. by TIP staff
[19] “Eid-Ul-Fitr Recipes,” Eid Mubarak, http://www.theeid.com/eid-ul-fitr-recipes/, accessed Aug. 2, 2010
[20] Siddiqi, Dr. Muzammil, “Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr: Special Announcement,” The Fiqh Council of North America, http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/, accessed Aug. 2, 2010
[21] Beran, Paul, “Celebrating Ramadan: A Resource for Educators, “ The Outreach Center, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/RamadanMiddle-HighKit.July08.pdf, accessed July 26, 2010
