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Let's know Ramadan

Posted on 30th April, 2020

During the month of Ramadan, Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, one of the Missionaries of Africa residing at St. Vincent’s Parish, has been helping people get to know how Muslims live and love Ramadan. He is making his teaching easier by adding a little quiz to each contribution. The question he poses one day will be answered the next. He is doing this for our Facebook Friends (Vincent de Paul Church) and has kindly accepted that we reproduce it here.

 

Ramadan (1)

Here is a description of the month of Ramadan given by Muslims: “The holy month of Ramadan unites all Muslims in fasting, feasting, worship and prayer. It is a time for contemplation, spirituality and brotherhood. It is also known and recognised as the month of the Qur'an.” 

From this description it will easily be understood how much more difficult Ramadan will be for Muslims during this period of social distancing. They will not be able to break the fast together, nor will they be able to gather in the mosque for special prayers. Let us remember them in our prayers.

 

Daily Question (1)

Ramadan is the name of the 9th month of the Islamic calendar year. What is the original meaning of the term Ramadan: a) a hotel; b) burning heat; c) medicine.   (the answer tomorrow).

 

 

Ramadan (2)

 

One of the main features of Ramadan is fasting (sawm). The following injunction is found in the Qur’an: “You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God. “ (Q 2:183).

When does this fasting take place? The fast lasts each day throughout the hours of light – tradition says, from when you can distinguish a white thread from a black thread, until this is no longer possible (here in Liverpool at this time of the year the hours of daylight are quite long).

What does this fast consist of? It means not allowing anything to enter the body, no food, no drink, no smoking or vaping. Fasting is undertaken out of obedience to God – as mentioned above, it is prescribed in the Qur’an – but it is also a way of showing solidarity with people who suffer from hunger.

 

Daily Question (2)

Fasting is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam. Can you name the other four?

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (1)

The question: Ramadan is the name of the 9th month of the Islamic calendar year. What is the original meaning of the term Ramadan: a) a hotel; b) burning heat; c) medicine.  

The correct answer is b)

Before Islam adopted the lunar calendar, Ramadan, the 9th month, always occurred in the summer in Arabia when the heat was very intense. The lunar year is shorter than the solar year, so now Ramadan moves forward every year by 11 days.

 

  
Ramadan (3)

 

During the month of Ramadan special prayers, called tarâwîh, are performed. They are not obligatory, but many people usually stay in behind in the mosque after the final prayer of the day to recite them together. They often include the recitation of substantial passages from the Qur’an. This year, because of the restrictions necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, those who wish to perform these prayers will have to do so at home. They will miss the company of their fellow Muslims

 

Daily Question (3)

What is the meaning of Salât ? a) A greeting; b) Ritual prayer; c) A vegetarian dish.

(the answer tomorrow).

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (2)

The question: Fasting (sawm) is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam. Can you name the other four?

The correct answer is: shahâda – the profession of faith; Salât – prayer; zakât – alms-giving; hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca.  

 

Ramadan (4)

 

The end of the fast each day is signaled by the Call to pray the evening prayer at sundown. In some countries the signal for the end of the fast is a canon blast. The traditional way of breaking the fast is first to take a date and a sip of milk, perform the evening prayer, and then come together for a communal meal (iftâr). For this meal the family will come together, or in some places the inhabitants of the same street. Often hotels and restaurants provide iftârs to which the poor are invited free of charge.

Iftârs are organized for Muslims and non-Muslims together. Last year, on 18 May, the Liverpool Region Mosques Network organized a large iftâr at the Pierhead.

This is another feature of Ramadan which will be sorely missing this year.

 

Daily Question (4)

The mu’ezzin is a) the one who calls to prayer; b) the leader of the prayer; c) a poor person.

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (3)

The question was: What is the meaning of Salât ? a) A greeting; b) Ritual prayer; c)  A vegetarian dish.

The correct answer is: b)

The Arabic word salât probably comes from a Syriac word selota, meaning to bow or prostrate.

  

Ramadan 5

 

Fr Victor Edwin, an Indian Jesuit, President of the Islamic Studies Association (ISA) in India, has sent greetings to Muslims for Ramadan. He concludes by saying:

     "Dear brothers and sisters, in these difficult times of the Covid 19 breakout that has pushed peoples       across the continents into ‘lockdown’ situations, we along with you pray for God’s healing touch             upon all people. We pray for God’s consolation to those families that have lost their loved ones             during this pandemic. We pray specially for the doctors and hospital staff and volunteers who serve       the sick in these most difficult times.

     We pray that every man and woman come to realize their true responsibility as human persons and       learn to surrender their will to the Will of God according to their diverse religious traditions".

 

Daily question (5)

According to the Islamic calendar, this year is 1441. In which year of the Common Era did the Islamic era begin? a) 570;  b) 622; c) 632.

  

The answer to yesterday’s question (4)

The question was: The mu’ezzin is:  a) the one who calls to prayer; b) the leader of the prayer; c) a                                  poor person.

The correct answer is: a):

The call to Prayer is known as the adhân  (the ‘dh’ pronounce like the ‘th’ in the English “that”).

The mu’ezzin is the one who chants this call to Prayer:

The usual greeting among Muslims is al-salâmu ‘alay-kum – Peace be with you.

The response is wa ‘alay-kum al-salâm – And with you peace.

The leader of the Prayer is known as the Imâm. This may be someone who has been appointed st the Imam of a mosque, but any man who knows what to do, and knows how to recite some verses of the Qur’an, can lead the prayer,  If there are only women present praying together,  woman will act as Imam.

 A word for a poor person in Arabic is miskîn.

 

Ramadan 6

 

  An important place is given during Ramadan to the recitation of the      Qur’an. Many Muslims will read the whole of the Qur’an during this      Holy Month. In Egypt one can often see people in public transport        taking out a copy of the Qur’an and reciting it for themselves.

  The Qur’an has 114 sûras, or chapters, but it is also divided into 30      parts of equal length, one for each day of the month of Ramadan.        So by reading one part every day by the end of the month one will      have completed reading the whole of the Qur’an.

 

Daily question (6)

The Qur’an is the Holy Book of Muslims. What does the term qur’ân mean?    a)   inspiration;  b) a musical instrument; c) recitation.

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (5)

The question was: According to the Islamic calendar, this year is 1441. In which year of the Common Era did the Islamic era begin? a) 570; b) 622; c) 632.

The correct answer is: b):

570 is usually recognized as the year of Muhammad’s birth.

632 was the year of his death.

622 was the year of the hijra, the move from Mekka to Madina where the Muslim community was born.

(The Christian era, which has become the Common Era, is calculated from the birth of Christ, whereas the Islamic Era is calculated from the birth of the community).

 

Ramadan 7

 

This year, because of COVID-19, Muslims cannot perform salât, their Ritual Prayer, in the mosque. What is the mosque? Our English word is derived ultimately from the Arabic masjid which means “the place where one prostrates”. As we see in photos and videos, prostration, bowing down so that the forehead touches the ground, is one of the important gestures made during the Prayer. Other gestures are standing, bowing, and sitting down on one’s heels. The Imam indicates the rhythm. These gestures are repeated twice, three times, or four times according to which prayer of the day is being performed.

 

Daily question 7

If the mosque is “the place where one prostrates”, what is a sajjâda?

  1. a)      A prayer mat; b) a cloak worn when performing the prayer; c) an instrument indicating the exact time for the prayer.

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (6)

The question was: The Qur’an is the Holy book of Muslims. What does the term qur’ân mean?

         a)      inspiration;  b) a musical instrument; c) recitation.

The correct answer is: c).

The term qur’an comes from the Arabic word qara’a which means ‘read’ or ‘recite’. The first chronological message of the Qur’an is a command to Muhammad: iqra’, “Recite in the name of your Lord who created” (Q 96:1)/

The salât, the Ritual Prayer, includes some verses from the Qur’an. These are always recited in Arabic by the one who leads the prayer. They are never read from a book. Muslim children learn to recite some of the shorter sûras by heart. Some Muslims learn to recite the whole of the Qur’an by heart. Such a person is known as hâfiz al-qur’ân, a guardian of the Qur’an.

 

Ramadan 8

 

We are entering the month of May, a month dedicated to Mary, so today’s contribution will be on Our Lady. Muslims have a great respect for Mary, the mother of Jesus. There is a sûra (chapter) of the Qur’an that bears her name, sûra 19, sûrat Maryam, the sûra of Mary. The Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel comes to tell Mary that she will give birth to a son, is recounted in chapter 1 of the Gospel of Luke, and in sûra 3 (The Family of ‘Imran) and also in sûra 19 (Maryam) of the Qur’an. About ten years ago in Lebanon the Feast of the Annunciation, 25 March, was declared a national holiday for all the citizens of the country. Christians and Muslims have formed the habit of coming together to pray on this day. This year a group of Christians and Muslims composed a special prayer in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here is the text.

A common prayer for Christians and Muslims

(Lebanon, March 2020)

 

O God, Our Lord, Lord of Creation and of the whole human race,

You chose Mary, choosing her above all women,

Sending to her the Angel Gabriel to announce to her the good news

Which we celebrate together as Christians and Muslims.

Our Lord, You are the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy, the One who

loves all human beings.

You have blessed us with life, save us from the danger of this pandemic.

Our Lord, may the Virgin Mary be a model for us in our lives,

May her example motivate us to preserve unity amongst us when

confronted with distress and suffering.

May we trust in Providence, rather than resign ourselves to fear and pride,

So that we, like Mary, may show solidarity and give generous service.

Lord, You who are the All-Hearing, the Granter of Security,

Give your help to Carers, Nurses and Doctors,

Heal the sick and console the afflicted,

Give to those in need their daily bread and all they require.

We implore your help so that we may remain devoted to You and faithful to one another.

Amen.

  

Daily question (8)

How many women are mentioned by name in the Qur’an? a) 1;   b) 3;  c) 7.

 

The answer to yesterday’s question (7)

The question was: If the mosque is “the place where one prostrates”, what is a sajjâda?

The correct answer is  a) a prayer mat

 

There needs to be something separating the one who prays from the floor or the ground. Usually mosques are carpeted. If there is no carpet, or if one is praying outside the mosque, a prayer mat will be used. If no prayer mat is available something which separates from the ground can take its place, a piece of cardboard or, for a man, his shirt.

 

 

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INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

The importance of Interreligious Dialogue

“Interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as other religious communities” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium no.250)

This dialogue is part of the mission of the Church, together with the worship of God through prayer and liturgy, the witness of a Christian way of life, service to fellow human beings, proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and instructing people in the faith.

What is dialogue?

Dialogue means “all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment, in obedience to truth and respect for freedom” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Dialogue and Proclamation no.9)

What is the aim of this dialogue?

The aim is threefold:

Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Pope Francis meet.

 -   To live in peace and harmony with people of different religious traditions;

-    To work together for the benefit of all our brothers and sisters;

-    To help one another to respond sincerely and generously to God’s will for us.

To whom is this dialogue directed?

This dialogue “should be potentially universal, that is, all-embracing and capable of including all” (Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam, no.79).

Missionaries of Africa

“Our Society was founded in 1868 by Cardinal Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers. It is a Missionary Institute of Priests and Brothers living in community. Its aim is to proclaim the Gospel to the peoples of the African world. Because of its origins the Society has always had a particular interest in Muslims” (Constitutions art.1).

In Liverpool

Here in St. Vincent’s, we see our participation in interreligious dialogue as:

  • Establishing contact with local Muslim communities and communities of other faiths.
  • Cooperating with other bodies engaged in interreligious relations.
  • Participating in the work of interreligious committees (Fr Michael and Fr Terry are members of the Archdiocesan committee for Ecumenism, which covers also interreligious relations; Fr Michael attends the meetings of Faith Leaders).