Mustafa Derbashi in prayer at Masjid-e-Bilal Mosque in Glen Eden in anticipation for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Photo / Michael Craig
Mustafa Derbashi in prayer at Masjid-e-Bilal Mosque in Glen Eden in anticipation for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Photo / Michael Craig
Muslims in New Zealand will look to the skies tonight for the sighting of the new moon to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan and the commencement of religious fasting.
Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, is a month of sacrifice, fasting, prayers and reflection and is the holiest period for Muslims, who will fast from sunrise to sunset until the next sighting of the crescent moon, signifying the holy festival Eid ul Fitr.
The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) told the Herald the sighting of the moon will take place on Monday “which is the 29th of Sha’ban 1445″. Sha’ban is the last lunar month before Ramadan.
Mustafa Derbashi, originally from the Palestinian territories, has lost relatives in the Gaza war. Photo / Michael Craig
Corrections officer Mustafa Derbashi, 53, originally from the Palestinian city of Hebron, in the West Bank, has lost several relatives in Gaza and many others remain uncontactable as the brutal war there rages on.
“This is one of the toughest Ramadan for me, especially with what’s happening in Gaza and not knowing whether some of our friends and loved ones are alive or dead,” said Derbashi, who came to New Zealand in 2001.
“Watching the catastrophe unfold from the outside has been painful and sometimes I feel just so helpless. The death toll keeps rising every day, and I just don’t know how many among them are people I know.”
Derbashi said his fasting will also take a deeper meaning this year and will put him as one with his fellow Palestinians who have had little to eat for months.
The sighting of a new moon heralds the start of Ramadan.
He will be praying too for Kiwis, and especially Muslims, to be giving whatever they can to charities during the holy month to help the people of Gaza.
“Giving to charity is one of the pillars of Islam, and we are urged to follow the Prophet to be especially generous during Ramadan,” Derbashi said.
Muslims believe Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1400 years ago.
The religious fasting requires abstinence from food, water, smoking and sexual relations during daylight hours to achieve “taqwa” or consciousness of God.
Edwina Pio, Professor Emeritus of diversity, said historical context, locality, and community relationships intersect in multiple pathways to epitomise Ramadan.
“Ramadan is a time to once again reinforce spiritual sincerity, faithful submission, and existential gratefulness in the choices we make in our daily life,” Pio said.
“The contextualisation of socio-cultural dimensions and the quest for voice and belonging is an aspect of the nearly 1.6 billion followers of Islam globally and the approximately 3.6 million mosques in the world.”
Sheikh Mohammed Amir, chairman of the FIANZ Hilal or moon-sighting committee, said once a decision has been made over the confirmation of the moon sighting, an announcement will be issued on the federation’s website and via social media within three hours after sunset.
“A circular will also be sent to those on the contact list, local associations and our Pacific neighbours,” Amir said.
Reporter Martha and friends are in Minginui introducing us to their favourite four-legged neighbours, wild but friendly horses that have had free reign of the place since 1870.
