Ramadan Mubarak! Wishing everyone a blessed Ramadan!
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan is the most sacred month for Muslims around the world. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar calendar, so the dates of each month, including Ramadan, are based on the moon sighting and will change every year. The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It means “burning heat,” and begins with hilal, the crescent moon. It is a month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection, and community.
For those celebrating, we hope you and your family have a blessed Ramadan. Below is a collection of pieces we’ve expanded on to learn about this spiritual month and share community stories!
Explore “Service is Sacred,” a collection of interviews with community members who are engaging in sacred service. The interviews were collected and conducted by Wasat, a community organization founded in 2012 to “create space to connect people and explore the American Muslim experience through art, love, and learning.”
Wasat strives to serve as a community space for Seattle-area Muslims to connect, grow, and learn together as well as a resource for those exploring Islam. Learn more about Wasat and other organizations like it in our Directory.
Listen to “Eid Mubarak,” a song by Essam, Zak YM, and Akhi Abu, three Muslim artists, about Islam, the meaning of the month of Ramadan, and celebrating as a community. Read the lyrics here. Eid al-Fitr marks the last end of Ramadan’s month-long, dawn-to-sunset fasting.
Read “Essay: Our Blended Family and the ‘Togetherness’ of Ramadan,” a piece written by Indian Canadian author; S.K. Ali published in NBC News about celebrating the month of Ramadan in a blended family.
More from S.K. Ali:
Read “Rarely represented in media, Seattle Cham Muslim youth filmed their own documentary, ‘Ramadan’,” an article published by International Examiner that chronicles the experiences and reflections of three Cham high school students about Ramadan, the holiest month for the Muslim community. Cham Refugee Community Seattle is a nonprofit that provides community-focused programs and services to Cham and other ethnic minorities in South Seattle and South King County.
Read “For Two Women Small Business Owners, Ramadan is a Moment to Remember,” a piece published by South Seattle Emerald about Nasrin Noori, the owner and founder of Jazzes, and Adama Jammeh, co-founder of Afella Jollof Catering. These two women talk about tradition, food, and how Ramadan brings people together.
Over the last two years, the pandemic has affected people in communities around the world. “Ramadan 2021: Reflections on a Year of Sacrifice, Loss, and Hope” is a piece from the South Seattle Emerald about the impact of COVID-19 on Ramadan celebrations and family units.
You can also read “How Muslims Adapt Traditions During a Second Pandemic Ramadan,” an article in Feet in 2 Worlds published in partnership with Yes! Magazine about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected one Muslim and their family’s Ramadan celebrations.
At Voices, we believe community engagement is key! If you have any questions, comments, feedback, or suggestions for this or other pieces please don’t hesitate to drop a line to: voices@echox.org. Someone from our team will get back to you shortly.
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