Ramadan begins for Hawke's Bay Muslims

Minister of religion at Hawke's Bay Baitul Mokarram Masjid and Islamic Centre Trust, Sheik Faiyaz Ali, said Ramadam month had started well. Photo/Warren Buckland

For Hawke's Bay's approximately 500 Muslims, Sunday saw the start of the most sacred month of the year - Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and Muslims all around the world observe it by fasting during daylight hours. It is also a time of spiritual discipline and increased study and prayer.

Approximately 1.6 billion Muslims around the world observe Ramadan. It's one of the five pillars of Islam, along with faith, prayer, giving and a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Muslims believe it was during this month that God revealed the first few verses of the Koran to the Prophet Mohammed.

The minister of religion at Hawke's Bay Baitul Mokarram Masjid and Islamic Centre Trust, Sheik Faiyaz Ali, said after observing the new moon on Saturday night, the month had started off well.

"We try our best to please and praise our God ... We try to spend more time in the masjid, try to spend more time reading the holy book, the Koran, and try to spend more time remembering God, more than other months," Ali said.

It's not only a time of study and worship. Ali said it was also a very social time, a month of celebration, and time to spend with people from all backgrounds. Many gather together at the masjid (place of worship) on Heretaunga Street East in Hastings.

"We are very humbled - we're feeding each other, we're all sitting together. People from different countries and different families ... We're getting together, everybody cooks something great from their own home and we sit together and eat."

Mr Ali said the month consists of early mornings to eat, drink and pray before fasting begins at sunrise. Until sunset, Muslims do not eat, drink, smoke or have sex. Those observing also try to refrain from sinful behaviour such as lying, insulting or fighting.

He said because Ramadan in New Zealand occurred in autumn and winter, daylight - the time required to fast - was only around 12 hours, which was far shorter than in countries further north.

He said after fasting ends just after 5pm, people eat, pray and spend time with others. He said Ramadan was the busiest time of year at the mosque.

"We were waiting for this month since last year. More people are coming to the mosque, we're taking our money for poor people, we're feeding them and treating them. It's a great time we can see plenty of new faces in here."