Education goal of Ramadan Awareness Dinner
The month of Ramadan is one of the most important times of the
year for Muslims.
Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.
It is during this time that Muhammad the Prophet was visited by the
Angel Gabriel and given what would eventually become the Qur’an,
according to Muslim beliefs.
Muslims across the world celebrate Ramadan by fasting: they do
not eat, drink or have sexual relations during the day.
In honor of this holiday, the 13th Annual Ramadan Awareness
Dinner was held on Saturday night, offering participants a chance
not only to learn about Ramadan, but the Islamic faith as well.
“We make use of a certain occasion to highlight the culture,”
said Hosam-Aldeen Ahmad complex manager of the University Village.
“The main idea is cultural and global awareness.”
The event, hosted at the University Village Center, included a
video presentation, a speaker, educational readings and an Islamic
dinner homemade by people in the community.
“Any opportunity to learn about Islam should be taken,” said
Kurt Pattison, a student at Arapahoe Community College. “It’s so
foreign to me, I almost feel obligated to understand it.”
Participants came for classes, personal education and simply to
experience the Islamic culture.
“I’m here for a class, but I’ve always been interested and
willing to learn,” said Jaclyn Fensky, a freshmen interior design
major.
Volunteers for the event came from Fort Collins and around the
world.
“The program won’t happen without student and community
volunteers,” Ahmad said. “It gives people an opportunity to show
their culture.”
After a brief introduction, an Academy Award-winning documentary
called “Islam: Empire of Faith” was shown, detailing the early
history of the religion.
The film was followed by dinner and a presentation on the
meaning of Ramadan.
“Fasting during Ramadan is about learning,” said Ammar, the
event’s speaker. “Its real purpose is not to focus on bodily needs
but rather on spiritual.”
After his presentation, the audience asked questions ranging
from traditions about dress codes to terrorism.
“You want to make a political statement with terrorism; it has
nothing to do with religion,” Ammar said.
Education was the main theme of the evening.
“We’re taking the education from the class to the community,”
Ahmad said. “Here everyone is a teacher and everyone is a
student.”
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