Ramadan, also known as Ramadhan or Ramzan, is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Ramadan is a period of prayer, fasting, charity-giving, and self-accountability for Muslims everywhere. On June seventeenth of 2015 I had experienced my first Ramadan since my conversion to Islam. The experience was beyond exciting. I met a ton of people of different races and from different countries. Ramadan was a beautiful and life-changing experience I had witnessed. At the time I lived in San Antonio, Texas. The weather was tropical, but contained a breeze that swept across your skin like a tide rushing amongst the ocean’s shore. That day Allah transformed into an Indian tailor. Allah sewed and stitched perfection in the sky. He threaded the sky with
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The masjid has a men and women section. Due to the fact I am a woman, I joined the women. The women gathered inside the dining hall, a gigantic gazebo, an hour before sunset to have a feast. Inside the gazebo it contained twenty round tables decorated with a satin red tablecloth with five chairs neatly surrounding each one. The gazebo also contained a large chandelier, making the different skin complexions glow as if they were rich honey, chocolate, vanilla, and countless other flavors. Outside of the gazebo, lined huge red drapes drizzled in gold, which gave it a Moroccan feel. There sat a food buffet that rested against the back wall. The food smelled as if Africa and India only stood a few steps away and not hundreds and thousands of miles away. I decided to join a group of friends at the beginning of the feast. We first ate dates, a fruit favored highly by the prophet Muhammad, after that we proceeded to eat the rest of the course. The Hilib Ari Duban, a Somalian goat meat entrée, was savory delight. Dripping in a flavorful gravy, it gave the meat a garlicky kick. The Indian curry rice tasted of a burst of cayenne pepper seasoned to perfection. The feast also contained juicy mango, crunchy sambusa, and golden mandazi bread. That was my first time tasting international food besides Mexican and …show more content…
Maghrib is a powerful prayer during the month of Ramadan. The prayer is prayed just after sunset. Before prayer, we perform Wudhu, a ritual for purifying yourself. The Wudhu room consist of sinks, showers, and toilets meant for cleansing purposes. The women walked into the Wudhu room and washed their hands down to their feet. They rinsed themselves thoroughly, making sure they removed all sins and dirt. They walked into the prayer room, fully cleansed for Allah. The prayer room was a round room, ceilings were giant, and walls were pure. The floor was decorated with greens and reds. I could feel a feeling of eased as I entered the room. The women were arranged in twenty rows of five. There was a thin glass wall centered in the middle of the room. If you stared long at the glass wall, you would notice the men arranged in a row also. The Sheik spoke over the intercom and called for prayer. We all bowed down to respect our creator. Men and women kneeled and prostrated at the same time. The words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, meaning in the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful, floated around the room as a shield of
The masjid has a men and women section. Due to the fact I am a woman, I joined the women. The women gathered inside the dining hall, a gigantic gazebo, an hour before sunset to have a feast. Inside the gazebo it contained twenty round tables decorated with a satin red tablecloth with five chairs neatly surrounding each one. The gazebo also contained a large chandelier, making the different skin complexions glow as if they were rich honey, chocolate, vanilla, and countless other flavors. Outside of the gazebo, lined huge red drapes drizzled in gold, which gave it a Moroccan feel. There sat a food buffet that rested against the back wall. The food smelled as if Africa and India only stood a few steps away and not hundreds and thousands of miles away. I decided to join a group of friends at the beginning of the feast. We first ate dates, a fruit favored highly by the prophet Muhammad, after that we proceeded to eat the rest of the course. The Hilib Ari Duban, a Somalian goat meat entrée, was savory delight. Dripping in a flavorful gravy, it gave the meat a garlicky kick. The Indian curry rice tasted of a burst of cayenne pepper seasoned to perfection. The feast also contained juicy mango, crunchy sambusa, and golden mandazi bread. That was my first time tasting international food besides Mexican and …show more content…
Maghrib is a powerful prayer during the month of Ramadan. The prayer is prayed just after sunset. Before prayer, we perform Wudhu, a ritual for purifying yourself. The Wudhu room consist of sinks, showers, and toilets meant for cleansing purposes. The women walked into the Wudhu room and washed their hands down to their feet. They rinsed themselves thoroughly, making sure they removed all sins and dirt. They walked into the prayer room, fully cleansed for Allah. The prayer room was a round room, ceilings were giant, and walls were pure. The floor was decorated with greens and reds. I could feel a feeling of eased as I entered the room. The women were arranged in twenty rows of five. There was a thin glass wall centered in the middle of the room. If you stared long at the glass wall, you would notice the men arranged in a row also. The Sheik spoke over the intercom and called for prayer. We all bowed down to respect our creator. Men and women kneeled and prostrated at the same time. The words Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, meaning in the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful, floated around the room as a shield of