By William Doyle-Marshall
Across the Greater Toronto Area in some 150 places of worship that include mosques, schools, community centers, converted homes and basements, Muslims are observing the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is considered the holiest time of the year for Muslims around the world. Osman Khan, Secretary of the Imdadul Islamic Center and Co-Chair of the Toronto Police Muslim Consultative Committee, told Indo Caribbean World that the Qur'an clearly states during Ramadan it is obligatory on all those who are of good health and are of the age of maturity to fast.
Muslims agree that it was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed. In fact, Ramadan commemorates that part of the Muslim year when "the Qur'an was sent down as a guidance for the people" and also for the " judgment between the right and wrong". It is generally accepted that it was revealed "on the night of determination," - (laila tul qadr) night of power - which is generally observed on the night of 26-27 Ramadan.
"This is a commandment from God that in the month of Ramadan you must fast," Khan stressed. However, there are exceptions. Someone who is traveling, female having their menstruation, children below the age of maturity and those who are sick are exempted from fasting.
The travellers and women however must make up afterwards. With respect to the sick who cannot fast, they have to feed the poor in lieu of fasting if they can afford to do so.
Many benefits accrue from the act of fasting in relation to one's life which affect the physical, social and spiritual well being of the person fasting. The social benefit, without doubt, rests heavily on togetherness
because during fasting the family comes together. They get up the same time every day as they must finish eating by four o'clock in the morning.
"Because of the busy schedule it is difficult for everyone to get together and have breakfast together but during Ramadan you must finish eating by four o'clock then all family members are awoken and they come together at the table. The radio and television broadcast special programmes telling people when they must stop eating. Those who live close to the mosque leave for early morning prayers before sunrise (between 5:00 and 5:30). The mosques are filled. Praying five times a day is obligatory on all Muslims always especially during Ramadan," Khan noted.
Haroon Salamat of the Toronto and Region Islamic Congregation TARIC where approximately 1,500 worship on an average Friday attract Muslims from Mississauga up to Scarborough. On special days the numbers could reach up to 2,500 worshippers.
Another spiritual benefit that brings the community together is the Tarawee prayers, which were instituted in the month of fasting so that all the members of the household come together after the regular sunset prayer is completed. This a long session for socializing and sharing after breaking their fast.
In addition to ongoing financial support to various causes in their communities Muslims here take the opportunity during Ramadan to provide additional solace to needy people in other parts of the world. For instance Imdadul Islamic Center presented an $8,000 cheque for the famine in Africa to Human Concerns International, an organization that deals with refugees and catastrophes around the world. Khan said this is being matched by the Government of Canada.
"This is going to be handed over (to the people of) Somalia because more than 300 people are dying from starvation on a daily basis," he observed.
Past contributions from the mosque have gone to needy people in Haiti following the devastating earthquake that is still affecting the country. Flood victims in Guyana and the Iranian earthquake disaster are also among beneficiaries of monies raised by the Center, Khan said.
"During Ramadan it is a passive thing because people are more generous during that time and give to charitable organizations," Salamat observed. Members of the TARIC congregation contributed $4,000 last Friday also to be sent to their brothers and sisters in Somalia.
Sheik Faisal Razak head of the Islamic Forum in Mississauga; influential Somalian leader Sheikh Adam Essa of the Islamic Forum and Dr. Mosavi head of the Iranian Islamic Center are among the leaders conducting worship in observance of Ramadan.
no fatalities
Investigations into the crash of Caribbean Airlines Flight BW523 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on July 30 are pointing in the direction of human error as the possible cause. Investigators are using the argument that movable panels on the front and rear edges of the wings of the jet that overshot the runway were apparently not extended as would be normal before touchdown. They feel that this, along with excessive speed and other suspected lapses in landing procedures caused the accident. These findings appeared in a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) last Sunday.
Based on preliminary findings by investigators, industry and government officials are attributing the accident to pilot error rather than mechanical or other system malfunctions, the WSJ report said. Citing unnamed officials, the WSJ report said eyewitness accounts and data retrieved from the plane's data-recorders indicate the aircraft landed too fast and too far down the runway.
The Caribbean Airlines flight overshot the runway while landing at the CJIA at around 1:30 am and scuttled through the perimeter fence of the airport before breaking in two, miraculously with no fatalities. There were 157 passengers and six crew onboard at the time of the crash including 12 passengers who were bearers of Canadian passports, 96 American passport holders and 44 Guyanese passport holders. The aircraft was a four-year old Boeing 737-800 which was purchased at a cost of US$38M in 2007.