ISLAM Valley Muslims renew faith as holy days begin

By LAURIE M. FISHER
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Millions of Muslims are making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the Hajj, a pillar of Islam.
The Hajj celebrates the concluding revelation from Allah to the Prophet Mohammed at Mount Araf & aacute;t. Muslims who are able financially and physically are expected to attend the Hajj once in their lives.
Muslims in Youngstown and throughout the rest of the world will celebrate Eid-al-Adha, on Monday, the day after the Hajj, explained Shakir Husain.
Special for youth: This year's Muslim holy days have special significance for his son, Nadeem Husain.
The 14-year-old freshman at Canfield High School recently completed his study of the Koran, the Muslim holy book that contains the revelations to the prophet.
A ceremony called Amin officially marks the occasion.
"The student sits down with the Koran and reads to adult members of the community. Often there is gift giving and a feast," Husain explained. "Once the kids have completed the study of Koran, they have more information and knowledge of Islam and Islamic history."
The Eid-al-Adha, "is the remembrance of sacrifice of Prophet Abraham who did not hesitate to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail, when God [wanted] to test the devotion and dedication of Prophet Abraham," Husain explained.
Gathering: Locally, Muslims will gather at 7:30 a.m. Monday in the Masjid Al Khair to begin the Eid-al-Adha prayer, which lasts for about 20 minutes.
Most observers exchange greetings, have some refreshments in the mosque and disperse for their routine business, explained Husain, a Youngstown State University associate professor of engineering.
People who can take a day off may visit family and friends to greet and exchange some gifts, he added.
A community dinner celebrating the Eid-al-Adha will be March 11 in the Liberty Community Center. Such community and educational events introduce Islam to children at a young age. The beginning of the education is known as bismillah.
Education: For Nadeem and his 20-year-old sister, Afreen, their Islamic education includes home schooling by parents and more formalized Sunday morning classes at the mosque.
Husain explained that it is the duty of Muslim fathers to teach their children about their religion. Muslim mothers are also involved. Zamarrud Husain taught both her children Arabic, the language of the Koran.
"My mom taught me how to read the Koran since I was very young," Nadeem said. "She taught me the alphabet and how to pronounce the words."
"We are non-Arabic Muslims," Husain, explained. "But we are supposed to read the Koran correctly." The need for precise reading is critical, he said adding, "because if you twist the tongue just a little bit, the whole meaning of the word changes. We are very specific about how to pronounce a word."
Husain said that while all Muslims learn to read the Koran in Arabic, discussion of the text and interpretations might follow in each family's native language. At the Husain home, religious discussions may occur in their native Urdu-Hindi.
"My dad taught me everything about Islam -- the history, the prophets, the five pillars of Islam," Nadeem said.
During classes at the mosque, where Muslim immigrants from India, Pakistan and Arab countries gather, lessons are in English. Knowledgeable members of the community teach Islamic texts as well as the Arabic language.
The combination of family knowledge and formal education has allowed Nadeem to explain his religious practices to his non-Muslim classmates. Nadeem said he took on the role of teacher when he was in the fourth grade and his class studied Islam.
"I taught the class about what we do and don't do," he said.
Many people are confused about the practice of reciting prayers five times a day, he said. Another of the five pillars, or Salat, are obligatory prayers that are performed five times a day. Nadeem has adapted the obligation to his American lifestyle and works his prayers into his school schedule.
Studies: At the mosque, children attend school on Sunday mornings beginning around kindergarten age. Boys and girls study texts in the morals and ethics of Islam as well as what is permitted and prohibited.
Students and adults gather for noon prayers, during which men and women must be separated. At the Youngstown mosque, women pray upstairs while men pray downstairs.
Studying the Koran is continuous, both father and son agreed. After the noon prayers on Sunday, adults meet to continue their education. They are joined by teens like Nadeem.
"Once you are done you are never finished, you just start studying again. It's not how much you study, but that you study every day," said Husain.