Monday, May 2, 2022

Muslims end Ramadan fasting: Eid al-Fitr

USA Today via MSN; Leroy Kenton; Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly


Happy Blessed Ramadan wishes!
Just as Easter is the end of Lent for Catholics and some Christians, Ramadan culminates with Eid al-Fitr ("Feast or Festival of Fast Breaking"), a celebration to break the 30 to 40 days of "fasting" (which has been reinterpreted from not eating at all to going vegetarian/vegan in Ethiopia to just not eating by day in Islam, or not eating meat on Fridays, as our religions get watered down).
  • Spread for the Feast of Breaking the Fast
    [Buddhism is the oldest of the three "world religions" or universal spiritual traditions spread by missionary activity that are readily accommodated by the various cultures into which they come in contact. There are over 1 billion uncounted Buddhists in officially atheist/communist China. Buddhism is an influential spiritual tradition, more philosophy than "religion," that reaches much further than it usually gets credit for reaching. In Buddhism, fasting is a daily practice for monastics (where it means not eating after 12:00 noon in the Theravada tradition), as lay Buddhists observe a weekly "fasting day" or Uposatha of additional precepts, which is a Sabbath/Shabbat celebration in accordance with phases of the moon, and a period of intensive study, meditation practice, and observance of discipline called the monastic Rains Retreat ("Buddhist Lent" or Vassa). The later and larger school of Buddhism, known as Mahayana (which is strongly influenced by Brahmanism/Hinduism and includes Tibetan/Himalayan Vajrayana), has slacked off on the rules and made more of ritual and theory over practice.]
Praying five times a day is more fun in a big crowd of worshippers (USA Today).
.
Muslims around the world celebrate a feast to mark the end of Ramadan. In the photo above Palestinian Muslims celebrate in front of the Dome of the Rock temple site after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Old Jerusalem in Palestine early on May 2, 2022. More + PHOTOS
It's "Muslim Xmas"

10 Surprising Facts About Eid al Fitr
(FTD Facts) A feast comes after Ramadan fasting month on the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims worldwide celebrate it, for it has great significance in Islam. One "fasts" from more than just food and water by day. It is more important to abstain from sins ("missing the mark" or violating fiqh), bad habits, and errant behavior (unskillful karma). Here are ten surprising facts about the festival of breaking the fast.

No comments: