Ramadan a ‘joyous occasion’ in Brandon

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This article was published 10/04/2022 (1434 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon’s Muslim community hosted its first feast of the Ramadan month Saturday after being apart for two years due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Ramadan, which began April 1 with the new moon, sees Muslims around the world abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset before breaking their fast with family and friends at a meal known as Iftar.

“There is not a major celebration as you would see in bigger cities like Toronto and that area,” said Faiz Ahmad, a Brandon Islamic Centre board member. “But it is a joyous occasion.”

During the month of Ramadan, before COVID-19, community members would break their fast together at the Islamic Centre on 834 10th St.

Muslims take on additional responsibilities during Ramadan, Ahmad said, including more regular attendance at the mosque for prayers and most importantly, joining in Tarawih prayers, which are recited only during the fasting month.

Ramadan is the most important month of the year for Muslims because it is an opportunity for people to seek salvation and to be spiritually elevated, he said, describing it as a time of enhanced kindness and respect.

“Muslims see this as a tremendous opportunity to fast because this fasting has been ordered by Allah to mankind. We try to up our good deeds and prayers and worship in this month.”

Muslims in Westman will fast for nearly 15 hours a day during Ramadan.

Ramadan ends on May 2 with a community feast known as Eid-ul-Fitr, which will see the entire community gather for congregation prayers to honour the day.

The Brandon Islamic Centre has been unable to host an Eid dinner since COVID-19 began. This year, they will be reuniting for a special supper at the Healthy Living Centre on May 2.

Ramadan is similar to Christmas, Ahmad said, without the commercial and consumption focus. Children receive gifts and a focus is placed on the exchange of love, happiness and respect.

“A lot of people will be visiting each other and taking that day off — it’s a special holiday,” Ahmad said. “It’s a joyous occasion. Everyone celebrates for being able to carry on with the fasting and the daily duties, the extra duties, that come along with Ramadan. That is no small achievement.”

Muhammad Furqan and his family attended the community feast at the Brandon Islamic Centre Saturday evening after sunset.

He described Ramadan as the month of blessings.

“It’s a struggle between the body and soul because we are hungry, we are thirsty from dawn to sunset, because it’s almost 15 hours fasting,” Furqan said. “The body will tell you to eat something, or let’s drink something because the throat will say ‘give me water,’ the stomach will make craving sounds … but then the heart will control you and you will say no.”

Actions taken during Ramadan reaffirm their faith in Allah, Furqan said, because they know Allah is with them at all times.

The time is also known as “The month of Qur’an” because the holy book was revealed during this month and took 23 years for revelation to be completed. It is also known as the month of blessing and any good deeds that occur during the month multiply by 70 times.

“We try our best to do as much good as we can do in realizing Ramadan,” Furqan said.

In the Muslim faith, during Ramadan, Allah has closed the doors of hell and chained the devils who would tempt people to commit evil deeds. At the same time, Allah has opened the doors of heaven.

“If we do bad, it means it is our own intention, it’s our own will,” Furqan said. “There is no outside sound convincing you to do bad.

“It’s your own self if for one month you struggle with yourself and you don’t harm people, animals, trees, you look after your neighbours, family, kids, mothers, parents … your community.

“If you keep doing that practice for 30 days once the devils are free still you will find yourself in the same spot you are finding yourself in during Ramadan.”

He described it as building spiritual fortitude.

Furqan moved to Brandon in 2019 from northern Manitoba. His family is originally from Pakistan. This year marks the first Ramadan he and his family will be able to celebrate as a large group with the Muslim community in Brandon.

The Brandon Islamic Centre has been closed during Ramadan for the past two years due to COVID-19.

“This is the first time we are enjoying our prayers in the mosque because there are no restrictions,” Furqan said. “It’s a big blessing.”

Gathering for prayer alongside others offers a different experience compared to praying in isolation, Furqan said. Being together at the mosque during Ramadan provides fresh energy that inspires people to do good in the community.

Furqan plans to visit the mosque every day during Ramadan for holy prayer.

“We can feel the blessing of Ramadan. Especially at the time of breaking fast at sunset.”

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