Youngstown Muslims prepare for Ramadan holiday

By Bruce Walton

bwalton@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Haneen Ali-Samad, the youth services librarian at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County’s main branch at Wick and Rayen avenues, had a story-time event reading books about Ramadan to nearly 50 children and 30 adults of the Islamic faith this week.

The storytime was a part of her Ramadan celebration program during which she taught children about the Muslim holiday by reading children’s books, including “Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr” by Lisa Bullard and “Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns : A Muslim Book of Colors” by Hena Khan.

Ali-Samad said she started the program as a way to educate and speak for Youngstown’s Muslim community about one of the most sacred of Muslim holidays, which begins at sundown today.

“I just want to make it special for the kids of Youngstown,” she said. “They see Christmas; they see Easter; they see how big it is; and I want them to see Ramadan as something just as big, especially in America.”

Muslims observing the holiday fast from all foods, drinks (including water), gossiping and other bad deeds between sunrise and sunset for 30 days. Ramadan ends June 24 this year.

Ali-Samad said she never had something like this growing up in the United States, but remembered how culturally different it was when her family visited her country of Palestine where it was more of a broad participation.

To her, fasting is a lot more difficult in America because of the lack of community acknowledgement. This way, she also can give the local Muslim children “something to look forward to so they can be proud of their religion.”

Ramadan is celebrated by one billion Muslims worldwide. It is a time where Muslims come together to focus on their faith and devotion to Allah.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which falls at a different time every year. The holiday celebrates when the religion’s holy book, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

The holiday’s fasting is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam, which is known as Sawm, or fasting. The other pillars are Shahada (faith), Salat (prayer); Zakat (charity), and the Hajj, a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make at least once in his or her lifetime.

Ramadan will be observed by the Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown, 535 Harmon Ave., and the Muhammad Mosque, 542 Belmont Ave.