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First published in 1930, “Gladiator” concerns a scientist who invents a serum to "improve" humankind by granting the proportionate strength of an ant and the leaping ability of the grasshopper. The scientist injects his pregnant wife with the serum and his son, Hugo, is born with superhuman strength, speed, and bulletproof skin. Hugo spends much of the novel hiding his powers, rarely getting a chance to openly use them. The novel is widely assumed to have been an inspiration for Superman, though no confirmation exists that Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were influenced by it. The novel was made into a comedy movie in 1938 starring Joe E. Brown and released only two months after Superman first appeared on newsstands. [Source: Wikipedia]
Avon reprinted the novel in 1957 with a new cover:
www.flickr.com/photos/57440551@N03/14451759584/in/set-721...
The European Service Module-2 (ESM-2) is somewhat like the portal it appears to be in this image. By providing power and propulsion for the Orion spacecraft, it will transport humans back to the Moon, roughly fifty years after humankind first landed on its surface.
In assembly at Airbus in Bremen, ESM-2 is the engine of the Orion spacecraft that will fly its second mission and first with a crew. The mission is called Artemis 2 and is set for launch in 2022.
The main engine is a repurposed Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System engine that has flown in space before. The eight auxiliary thrusters come in as backup to this main engine and to provide orbit corrections.
Lastly, 24 smaller engines grouped into six pods provide attitude control. In fixed positions, they can be fired individually as needed to move the spacecraft in different directions and rotate it into any position.
The first European Service Module arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November 2018. It has since been mated with the Crew Module Adapter and Crew Module and the trio went for thermal and balance testing at NASA’s Plum Brook Facility in Ohio, USA.
Artemis 1 will qualify the spacecraft’s performance. Orion will make a flyby of the Moon, using lunar gravity to go into lunar orbit and propel itself 70 000 km beyond the Moon, almost half a million km from Earth – farther than any human has ever travelled.
On its return journey, Orion will do another flyby of the Moon before heading back to Earth.
The total trip will take around 20 days, ending with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean without the European Service Module – it separates and burns up harmlessly in the atmosphere.
Artemis 2 will follow a similar flight path with a crew of four astronauts, but with a direct return trajectory that includes a flyby of the Moon, without entering Lunar orbit.
The European Service Module is built by Airbus, with smaller components coming from suppliers all over Europe, making the mission a truly international endeavour.
Orion is the first collaboration between ESA and NASA on a spacecraft that will take humans farther into space.
In addition to returning humans to the moon, Orion will be instrumental to building the Gateway a staging post to be located in lunar orbit that will allow humans to go deeper into space.
ESA is committed to working with partners globally to achieve its exciting vision of human and robotic exploration targeting the Moon and Mars.
Credits: Airbus
The Damanhur, Temples Of Humankind, a gorgeous series of underground temples in northern Italy.
www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.ht...
"History of the Humankind" by Carlos Rodriguez was painted in 1969, and clearly depicts the triumph of the communists in Russia as the apogee of the whole history of humanity! The creative intelligentsia in Latin America was overwhelmingly supportive of the extreme left ideas and the USSR throughout the XX century, long after most of their counterparts in Europe either abandoned such a stance, or at least became critical of the Communist policies.
"История Человечества" написанная Карлосом Родригесом в 1969 г. показывает триумф коммунистов в Советском Союзе как апогей всей истории! Творческая интеллигенция в Латинской Америке в течение ХХ века поддерживала левые идеи в целом и СССР в частности, несмотря на то что творческий класс на Западе или отмежевался от левых, или по крайней мере стал критически рассматривать политику коммунистов.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Dawn Bui and Kieu Tran attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography)
"On Jan. 15, 2016, Wikipedia officially celebrates 15 years as the Internet’s 'free encyclopedia,' cataloging humankind’s achievements in real time [since 2001]. In that time, it has hastened the end of Microsoft’s Encarta encyclopedia and supplanted Britannica as the dominant reference work in English. While the digital landscape has changed drastically over the last decade, Wikipedia has not, and still delivers that rare site that strives for neutrality and accuracy, all with no commercial advertisements.
Each month, nearly 100,000 volunteers from around the world actively contribute content to Wikipedia so that anyone may freely read, copy or redistribute its articles.
Additionally, Wikidata, launched in 2012, was designed to help Wikipedia structure 15 years' worth of users’ text contributions into a database that allows for cross-referencing and linking to the outside world. By having precise technical descriptions of information in its database, Wikidata makes searching, filtering, and joining collections of human knowledge possible on a massive scale. It has been so successful that Google canceled its own similar project, Freebase, to throw its support to Wikidata. In its announcement, the search giant noted the superiority of the Wikimedia project as a 'community-driven effort to collect and curate structured knowledge.'
Overseeing the Wikimedia movement’s financial and legal issues is the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, based in San Francisco, which employs some 250 employees in a variety of fundraising, outreach and engineering positions."
— Washington Post, 15 January 2016.
***************
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Tackling the greatest challenge known to humankind. Extreme poverty is more than just a number – it is the denial of basic freedoms and human dignity. USAID fights extreme poverty around the world each day.
Explore the story via USAID’s Extreme Possibilities storytelling hub: go.usa.gov/3fpVw
Photo Credit: Morgana Wingard / USAID
The Maropeng Visitor Centre is an award-winning, world-class exhibition, focusing on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years. The Cradle of Humankind region in South Africa is approximately 90 minutes' drive from the Johannesburg city centre.
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maropeng_visitor_centre,_...
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Mike Schore and Shelly Schore attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Drew Altizer Photography)
Looking at the wooden canopy over the Books of Remembrance in the Kellogg Bay (right) on the north side of the nave of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The Boardman Bay (left), also known as the Humanitarian Bay, is dedicated to those who have been servants to humankind.
The canopy was originally part of the tomb of Woodrow Wilson. Wilson died on February 3, 1924, almost three years after his second term as president ended. He was buried in a private service (per his wishes; there was no state funeral) on February 6, 1924, at the Washington National Cathedral.
Wilson's body was interred in the burial vault beneath the Bethlehem Chapel -- the only part of the cathedral constructed at that time. There are eight vaults below the chapel, four to the east and four to the west. Each vault has an upper and lower shelf. Wilson's coffin was placed on the upper shelf of the southwesternmost vault (above the body of Henry Vaughn, first architect of the cathedral). A concrete slab five inches thick, topped by a three inch thick of Alabama marble, sealed the crypt.
Directly above the body, in the chapel, was a marble sill or seat. A glass window allowed someone sitting on the sill to see out into the south corridor of the crypt level. This sill was removed, and a marble slab inscribed with Wilson's name and his date of birth and dead installed. Constantly banked with flowers, this was the "tomb" of Woodrow Wilson.
Hundreds of people visited the tomb every day. In the first year alone, more than 189,425 people had visited the chapel to see where Wilson was buried.
It quickly became apparent that a larger memorial was needed. By May or June 1924, Mrs. Edith Wilson was consulting architects and designers about a larger tomb. The architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson designed a cenotaph (empty tomb) in the shape of a sarcophagus. The Wilson family chose a crusader's sword as the only emblem to be worked into the concave lid of the cenotaph, with only Wilson's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed into the lid. The sides of the cenotaph were plainly decorated with plinths. The cenotaph was carved in Boston, and cenotaph was quietly emplace without fanfare in November 1924.
Above the cenotaph was a richly carved wooden canopy. The words "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord" were carved into the front of the canopy, and its major design elements incorporated thistles (a nod to Wilson's Scottish heritage). A black wrought-iron grille sealed off the cenotaph from the public.
In 1951, Wilson's grandson, Francis B. Sayre, Jr., was named Dean of the National Cathedral. Sayre's goal was to complete the cathedral, whose construction had stalled for decades. By 1956, the walls of the nave had gone up and been roofed over. Since Wilson's entombment at the cathedral, the plan had been to move his body into a sarcophagus in the nave. Sayre, Mrs. Wilson, and Wilson's surviving daughter, Eleanor, chose a bay on the south side of the nave about halfway between the crossing and the narthex. Sayre himself designed the tomb, consulting with Cram & Ferguson. The cenotaph was moved from the Bethlehem Chapel to the center of the arch facing the nave. The sarcophagus now faced inward toward the bay. New ends for the sarcophagus were fabricated to fit with the low wall helping to seal off the bay from the nave. The the cenotaph's original outward face and the lid were reused. A new back of the sarcophagus also had to be constructed. This surface, which faced the nave, contained the coat of arms of the six colleges Wilson had attended.
Two niches to the right and left of the bay were also used. The Wilson family chose four inscriptions typical of Wilson's views: To the east were quotations from his first inaugural address and his "War Message" to Congress; to the west were quotations from his submissal of the Treaty of Versailles to Congress, and his final published words.
Hungarian refugee Erwin Bessanyi designed the lancet windows in the bay, which are meditations on the theme of "Peace." A two foot wide bronze medallion depicting the Great Seal of the President of the United States was laid into the floor of the bay. Originally, three
historic flags stood in the niches to either side of the bay: the U.S. flag carried by the first detachment of troops to reach London in 1917, and the U.S. flags presented to Wilson at his inaugurals in 1913 and 1917.
The new sarcophagus cost $150,000, paid for by the Wilson family and admirers of the ex-president.
The Wilson Bay was dedicated on November 11, 1956 -- the 100th anniversary of Woodrow Wilson's birth. His body was moved from the burial vault to the new sarcophagus. His good friend, Bernard Baruch, was the keynote speaker at the event. Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt read from "Pilgrim's Progress."
Today, the Wilson Bay is almost unchanged. However, the flags have been replaced with modern nylon flags. The three flags now depict the current flag of the United States, the Presidential Flag of the United States (which depicts the Great Seal of the President on a blue background), and the flag of Princeton University.
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Yasmine Chelico and John Chelico attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography)
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
St. Hilda’s By The Sea is a small Anglican church in Sechelt. Set among the verdant green trees of the temperate rainforest, it is an eclectic mix of old and new: retired British pensioners polish the altar crystal and set out flowers for Sunday services, presided over by a gay Chinese-Canadian priest. Tai chi mixes with Celtic mysticism in a melange that is somehow stronger than its parts. And isn’t that what community is all about?
From the official website:
Walking the labyrinth is an ancient spiritual act that is being rediscovered during our time.
Usually constructed from circular patterns, labyrinths are based on principles of sacred geometry. Sometimes called “divine imprints”, they are found around the world as sacred patterns that have been passed down through the ages for at least 4,000 years. When a pattern of a certain size is constructed or placed on the ground, it can be used for walking meditations and rituals.
Labyrinths and their geometric cousins (spirals and mandalas) can be found in almost every religious tradition. For example, the Kabbala, or Tree of Life, is found in the Jewish mystical tradition. The Hopi Medicine Wheel, and the Man in the Maze are two forms from the Native American labyrinth traditions. The Cretan labyrinth, the remains of which can be found on the island of Crete, has seven path rings and is the oldest known labyrinth (4,000 or 5.000 years old).
In Europe, the Celts and later the early Christian Celtic Church revered labyrinths and frequently built them in natural settings. Sacred dances would be performed in them to celebrate solar and religious festivals. During the Middle Ages, labyrinths were created in churches and cathedrals throughout France and Northern Italy. These characteristically flat church or pavement labyrinths were inlaid into the floor of the nave of the church.
The Chartres Labyrinth
The labyrinth constructed at St. Hilda’s is an 11-circuit labyrinth. It is a replica of the one embedded in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. The design of this labyrinth, and many of the other church labyrinths in Europe, is a reworking of the ancient labyrinth design in which an equal-armed cross is emphasized and surrounded by a web of concentric circles. As with many Christian symbols, this was an adaptation of a symbol; that is known to have predated the Christian faith. This medieval variation is considered a breakthrough in design because it is less linear than the preceding, more formal, Roman design that developed from quadrant to quadrant. The medieval design made one path as long as possible, starting at the outer circumference and leading to the centre. Fraught with twists and turns, the path’s meanderings were considered symbolic representations of the Christian pilgrim’s journey to the Holy City of Jerusalem and of one’s own journey through life. This classical design is sometimes referred to as “the Chartres Labyrinth” due to the location of its best known example. The labyrinth was built at Chartres in the early 13th century (~ 1215 A.D.). No one knows the source of this classical 11-circuit labyrinth design, and much of its spiritual meaning and use has been lost.
The Chartres Labyrinth is located in the west end of the nave, the central body of the cathedral. When you walk in the main doors and look towards the high altar, you see the center of the labyrinth on the floor about 50 feet in front of you. It is approximately 42 feet in diameter and the path is 16 inches wide. At Chartres, the center of the Rose Window mirrors the center of the labyrinth. The cathedral is perfectly proportioned, so that if we put the west wall of the cathedral on hinges and folded it down on the labyrinth, the Rose Window would fit almost perfectly over the labyrinth.
Labyrinth or Maze?
The difference between a labyrinth used for meditation and mazes can be confusing. Mazes often have many entrances, dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that frequently confound the human mind. In contrast, meditation labyrinths offer only one path. By following the one path to the center, the seeker can use the labyrinth to quiet his or her mind and find peace and illumination at the center of his or her being. “As soon as one enters the labyrinth, one realizes that the path of the labyrinth serves as a metaphor for one’s spiritual journey. The walk, and all that happens on it, can be grasped through the intuitive, pattern-discerning faculty of the person walking it. The genius of this tool is that it reflects back to the seeker whatever he or she needs to discover from the perspective of a new level of conscious awareness.”
The Labyrinth is a Universal Meditation Tool
Anyone from any tradition or spiritual path can walk into the labyrinth and, through reflecting in the present moment, can benefit from it. A meditation labyrinth is one of many tools that can be used for spiritual practice. Like any tool, it is best used with a proper, good, intention. A church or temple can be used simply as a refuge from a rainstorm, but it can be so much more with a different intention. The same is true of the labyrinth. The seeker is only asked to put one foot in front of the other. By stepping into the labyrinth, we are choosing once again to walk the contemplative spiritual path. We are agreeing to let ourselves be open to see, to be free to hear, and to becoming real enough to respond. The labyrinth is a prayer path, a crucible of change, a meditation tool, a blueprint where psyche meets soul.
The best way to learn about the labyrinth is to walk a well-constructed one a few times, with an open heart and an open mind. Then allow your experience to guide you as to whether this will be a useful spiritual tool for you.
The Chartres Labyrinth and the Pilgrim’s Journey
Pilgrims are persons in motion – passing through territories not their own – seeking something we might call completion, or perhaps the word clarity will do as well, a goal to which only the spirit’s compass points the way.
Richard R. Niebuhr in Pilgrims and Pioneers
“The tradition of pilgrimage is as old as religion itself. Worshippers on pilgrimage traveled to holy festivals whether to solstice celebrations, to Mecca to gather around the Ka’aba for the high holy days of Islam, or to Easter festivals in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Pilgrimages were a mixture of religious duty and holiday relaxation for the peasant, the commoner and rich land owner alike. The journey was often embarked on in groups with designated places to stay at night. The pilgrims were restless to explore the mystical holy places, and many were in search of physical or spiritual healing.
The Christian story, which emphasized the humanity of Christ, fascinated the pilgrims. In the Middle Ages, most people did not read. As a result, they were much more oriented to the senses than we are today. They learned the story by traveling to Jerusalem to walk where Jesus walked, to pray where he prayed, and to experience, in a solemn moment, where he died. Unlike today, Pilgrims encountered the truth of the Christian mystery through an ongoing intimacy with all their senses.
When a person committed his or her life to Christ in the early Middle Ages, they sometimes made a vow to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem. However, by the 12th century when the Crusades swept across Europe and the ownership of Jerusalem was in tumultuous flux, travel became dangerous and expensive. In response to this situation, the Roman Church appointed seven pilgrimage cathedrals to become “Jerusalem” for pilgrims. Consequently, in the pilgrimage tradition, the path within the labyrinth was called the Chemin de Jerusalem and the center of the labyrinth was called “New Jerusalem”.
The walk into the labyrinth marked the end of the physical journey across the countryside and served as a symbolic entry-way into the spiritual realms of the Celestial City. The image of the Celestial City – taken straight out of the Book of Revelation to John – captivated the religious imagination of many during the Middle Ages. The wondrous Gothic cathedrals, with painted walls either in bright, even gaudy colours, or else white-washed, were designed to represent the Celestial City. The stained glass windows – when illuminated by the sun – created the sense of colourful, dancing jewels, allowing the pilgrim to experience the awesome mystery of the City of God.”
The Journey of Life
A fundamental approach to the labyrinth is to see it as a metaphor for life’s journey. The labyrinth reminds us that all of life, with its joys, sorrows, twists and turns, is a journey that comes from God (birth) and goes to God (death). It is a physical metaphor for the journey of healing, spiritual and emotional growth and transformation. Following the path is like any journey. Sometimes you feel you are at or nearing your destination, and at other times you may feel distant or even lost. Only by faithfully keeping to the path will you arrive at the physical center of the labyrinth, which signifies God, the center of our lives and souls.
Applying the Three Fold Mystical Tradition to the Labyrinth
In the Christian mystical tradition, the journey to God was articulated in the three stages. These stages have become recognized as being universal to meditation: to release and quiet; to open and receive; and to take what was gained back out into the world.
The Three Stages
The first part of the Three- Fold Mystical Path is Purgation. This archaic word is from the root word “to purge”, meaning to cleanse, to let go. Shedding is another way of describing the experience. The mystical word is empting or releasing. It is believed that monks journeyed the first part of the labyrinth Purgation on their knees as a penitential act. This was not done for reasons of punishment as we might think, but as a way to humble oneself before God.
The second stage of the Three-Fold Path, Illumination, is found in the center of the labyrinth. Usually it is a surprise to reach the center because the long winding path seems “illogical” and cannot be figured out by the linear mind. After quieting the mind in the first part of the walk, the center presents a new experience: a place of meditation and prayer. Often people at this stage in the walk find insight into their situation in life, or clarity about a certain problem, hence the label “illumination”. As one enters the
center, the instruction is simple: enter with an open heart and mind; receive what there is for you.
The third stage, Union, begins when you leave the center of the labyrinth and continues as you retrace the path that brought you in. In this stage the meditation takes on a grounded, energized feeling. Many people who have had an important experience in the center feel that this third stage of the labyrinth gives them a way of integrating the insights they received. Others feel that this stage stokes the creative fires within. It energizes insight. It empowers, invites, and even pushes us to be more authentic and confident and to take risks with our gifts in the world. Union means communing with God.
The Monastic Orders experienced a union with God through their community life by creating a fulfilling balance between the work that was assigned, sleep and the many hours of worship attended daily. Our times present a similar challenge: we struggle to find balance between work, sleep, family and friends, leisure and spiritual life. The lack of structured communities in which people share work responsibilities and the “every person for himself or herself” mentality (or every family for itself) prevalent in our highly individualistic society makes the task of finding balance even more difficult.
Monastic communities offered a mystical spirituality that spoke to highly intuitive and intensely introverted people and (paradoxically to some) at the same time provided an economic structure throughout Europe. Monasteries during the Middle Ages provided schools and hospitals managed by monks; yet, at the same time, cloistered life helped the monks stay inwardly directed. Today, without any reliable structure directing us, the way of union needs to be re-thought. Our times call for most of us to be outer-directed. We are called to action in every aspect of our society in order to meet the spiritual challenges that confront us in the 21st century. Gratefully, there are still people in religious orders holding the candle for deep contemplation, but the majority of people involved in the spiritual transformation are searching for a path that guides them to service in the world in an active, extroverted, compassionate way. The third stage of the labyrinth empowers the seeker to move back into the world replenished and directed – which makes the labyrinth a particularly powerful tool for transformation.
Walking the Labyrinth: The Process
The purpose of all spiritual disciplines – prayer, fasting, meditation – is to help create an open attentiveness that enables us to receive and renew our awareness of our grounding and wholeness in God.
The Experience of Walking Meditation
Many of us have trouble quieting our minds. The Buddhists call the distracted state of mind the “monkey mind”, which is an apt image of what the mind is frequently like: thoughts swinging like monkeys from branch to branch, chattering away without any rhyme or conscious reason. When the mind is quiet, we feel peaceful and open, aware of a silence that embraces the universe.
Complete quiet in the mind is not a realistic goal for most of us. Instead, the task is to dis-identify with the thoughts going through our minds. Don’t get hooked by the thoughts, let them go. Thomas Keating, a Cistercian monk who teaches Centering Prayer (meditation) in the Christian tradition, described the mind as a still lake. A thought is like a fish that swims through it. If you get involved with the fish (“Gee what an unusual fish, I wonder what it is called?”), then you are hooked. Many of us have discovered through learning meditation how difficult it is to quiet the mind; yet, the rewards are great.
In the labyrinth, the sheer act of walking a complicated, attention demanding path begins to focus the mind. Thoughts of daily tasks and experiences become less intrusive. A quiet mind does not happen automatically. You must gently guide the mind with the intention of letting go of extraneous thoughts. This is much easier to do when your whole body is moving – when you are walking. Movement takes away the excess charge of psychic energy that disturbs our efforts to quiet our thought processes.
Two Basic Approaches to the Walk
One way to walk the labyrinth is to choose to let all thought go and simply open yourself to your experience with gracious attention. Usually – though not always – quieting happens in the first stage of the walk. After the mind is quiet, you can choose to remain in the quiet. Or use the labyrinth as a prayer path. Simply begin to talk to God. This is an indication that you are ready to receive what is there for you, or you allow a sincere part of your being to find its voice.
A second approach to a labyrinth walk is to consider a question. Concentrate on the question as you walk in. Amplify your thoughts about it; let all else go but your question. When you walk into the center with an open heart and an open mind, you are opening yourself to receiving new information, new insights about yourself.
Guidelines for the Walk
Find your pace. In our chaotic world we are often pushed beyond a comfortable rhythm. In this state we lose the sense of our own needs. To make matters worse, we are often rushed and then forced to wait. Anyone who has hurried to the bank only to stand in line knows the feeling. Ironically, the same thing can happen with the labyrinth, but there is a difference. The labyrinth helps us find what our natural pace would be and draws our attention to it when we are not honouring it.
Along with finding your pace, support your movement through the labyrinth by becoming conscious of your breath. Let your breath flow smoothly in and out of your body. It can be coordinated with each step – as is done in the Buddhist walking meditation – if you choose. Let your experience be your guide.
Each experience in the labyrinth is different, even if you walk it often in a short period of time. The pace usually differs each time as well. It can change dramatically within the different stages of the walk. When the labyrinth has more than a comfortable number of seekers on it, you can “pass” people if you want to continue to honour the intuitive pace your inner process has set. If you are moving at a slower pace, you can allow people to pass you. At first people are uncomfortable with the idea of “passing” someone on the labyrinth. It looks competitive, especially since the walk is a spiritual exercise. Again, these kinds of thoughts and feelings, we hope, are greeted from a spacious place inside that smiles knowingly about the machinations of the human ego. On the spiritual path we meet every and all things. To find our pace, to allow spaciousness within, to be receptive to all experience, and to be aware of the habitual thoughts and issues that hamper our spiritual development is a road to self-knowledge.
Summary of How to Walk the Labyrinth
Pause at the entry way to allow yourself to be fully conscious of the act of stepping into the labyrinth. Allow about a minute, or several turns on the path, to create some space between yourself and the person in front of you. Some ritual act, such as a bow, may feel appropriate during the labyrinth walk. Do what comes naturally.
Follow your pace. Allow your body to determine the pace. If you allow a rapid pace and the person in front of you is moving slower, feel free to move around this person. This is easiest to do at the turns by turning earlier. If you are moving slowly, you can step onto the labyrs (wide spaces at the turns) to allow others to pass.
The narrow path is a two-way street. If you are going in and another person is going out, you will meet on the path. If you want to keep in an inward meditative state, simply do not make eye contact. If you meet someone you know, a touch of the hand or a hug may be an important acknowledgement of being on the path together.
Symbolism and Meanings Found in the Chartres Labyrinth
Circles and Spirals
The circle is the symbol of unity or union and it is the primary shape of all labyrinths. The circle in sacred geometry represents the incessant movement of the universe (uncomprehensible) as opposed to the square which represents comprehensible order. The labyrinth is a close cousin to the spiral and it, too, reflects the cyclical element of nature and is regarded as the symbol of eternal life.
The labyrinth functions like a spiral, creating a vortex in its center. Upon entering, the path winds in a clockwise pattern. Energy is being drawn out. Upon leaving the center the walker goes in a counter clockwise direction. The unwinding path integrates and empowers us on our walk back out. We are literally ushered back out into the world in a strengthened condition.
The Path
The path lies in 11 concentric circles with the 12th being the labyrinth center. The path meanders throughout the whole circle. There are 34 turns on the path going into the center. Six are semi-right turns and 28 are 180° turns. So the 12 rings that form the 11 pathways may symbolically represent, the 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Israel or 12 months of the year. Twelve is a mystical number in Christianity. In sacred geometry three represents heaven and four represents earth. Twelve is the product of 3 x 4 and, therefore, the path which flows through the whole is then representative of all creation.
The obvious metaphor for the path is the difficult path to salvation, with its many twists and turns. Since we cannot see a straight path to our destination, the labyrinth can be viewed as a metaphor for our lives. We learn to surrender to the path (Christ) and trust that he will lead us on our journey.
The path can also be viewed as grace or the Church guiding us through chaos.
The Cruciform and Labyrs
The labyrinth is divided equally into four quadrants that make an equal-armed cross or cruciform. The four arms represent in symbol what is thought to be the essential
structure of the universe for example, the four spatial directions, the four elements (earth, wind, water and fire), the four seasons and, most important, salvation through the cross. The four arms of the cross emerging from the center seem to give order to the would-be chaos of the meandering path around it.
The Chartres labyrinth cross or cruciform is delineated by the 10 labyrs (labyr means to turn and this is the root of the word labyrinth). The labyrs are double-ax shaped and visible at the turns and between turns. They are traditionally seen as a symbol of women’s power and creativity.
The Centre Rosette
In the Middle Ages, the rose was regarded as a symbol for the Virgin Mary. Because of its association with the myths of Percival and the Holy Grail at that time, it also was seen as a sign of beauty and love. The rose becomes symbolic of both human and divine love, of passionate love, but also love beyond passion. The single rose became a symbol of a simple acceptance of God’s love for the world.
Unlike a normal rose (which has five petals) the rosette has six petals and is steeped in mysticism. Although associated with the Rose of Sharon, which refers to Mary, it may also represent the Holy Spirit (wisdom and enlightenment). The six petals may have corresponded to the story of the six days of creation. In other mystical traditions, the petals can be viewed as the levels of evolution (mineral, plant, animal, humankind, angelic and divine).
The Lunations
The lunations are the outer ring of partial circles that complete the outside circle of the labyrinth. They are unique to the Chartres design.
Celtic Symbols on the St. Hilda’s Labyrinth
The Celtic peoples have given us seven enduring spiritual principles:
1. A deep respect of nature, regarding creation as the fifth Gospel.
2. Quiet care for all living things.
3. The love of learning.
4. A wonder-lust or migratory nature.
5. Love of silence and solitude.
6. Understanding of time as a sacred reality and an appreciation of ordinary life, worshipping God through everyday life, and with great joy.
7. The value of family and clan affiliation, and especially spiritual ties of soul friends.
To show our respect for such wisdom, two Celtic designs adorn the St. Hilda’s labyrinth.
To mark the entrance to the labyrinth is a Celtic zoomorphic design painted in red. Traditionally, Celtic monks used intricate knotwork and zoomorphic designs (odd animals intertwined in uncomfortable ways) as mere filler for their illuminated gospel texts. They had no discernible meaning.
However, because of their unique design components, zoomorphs are now associated with transformations.
Transformation, change, action, and passion are also associated with red, the colour of fire. Therefore, this entrance symbol may well be an appropriate sign for the journey ahead.
At the labyrinth’s centre is a Celtic triquetra. This interlocked knotwork design of three stylized fish (whales) is often interpreted as the Trinity knot. It is a perfect representation of the concept of "three in one" in Christian trinity beliefs. Having the design enclosed within the centre circle further emphasizes the unity theme.
The triquetra can also be considered to represent the triplicities of mind, body, and soul, as well as the three domains of earth- earth, sea, and sky.
Final Reflection: The Labyrinth as a “Thinning Place”
In Celtic Christianity, places where people felt most strongly connected with God’s presence were referred to as thin places. It was these places in nature (forest groves, hilltops and deep wells) that the seen and unseen worlds were most closely connected, and the inhabitants of both worlds could momentarily touch the other. Today our churches, temples and sacred sites are the new thin places to meet the Divine. Here, at St Hilda’s, we have opportunities to encounter many thinning places – whether it be during Eucharistic or Taize services, while singing or praying, or through the love of a welcoming inclusive community. The labyrinth is a welcome addition; and with the right intent can also become a new thinning place for the modern pilgrim/spiritual seeker.This outward journey is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It can serve to frame the inward journey – a journey of repentance, forgiveness and rebirth, a journey that seeks a deeper faith, and greater holiness, a journey in search of God.
This High Dynamic Range panorama was stitched from 84 bracketed images with PTGUI Pro, tone-mapped with Photomatix, and touched up in Aperture.
Original size: 18160 × 9080 (164.9 MP; 194 MB).
Location: St. Hilda’s By The Sea Anglican Church, Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
The “Nuremberg Chronicle” is an illustrated world history that follows the story of humankind related in the Bible, from Creation to Last Judgment. It was written in Latin by Hartmann Schedel in the city of Nuremberg and is one of the best-documented early printed books – an incunabulum – and one of the first to successfully integrate illustrations and text. The publisher and printer was Anton Koberger, the godfather of Albrecht Durer. The large workshop of Michael Wolgemut, then Nuremberg’s leading artist, provided the unprecedented 1,809 woodcut illustrations. Albrecht Durer was an apprentice with Wolgemut from 1486 to 1489, so may well have participated in designing some of the illustrations for the specialist craftsmen who cut the blocks.
Approximately 400 Latin and 300 German copies of the Chronicle survived into the twenty-first century. Some copies were broken up for sale as decorative prints. The larger illustrations in the book were sold separately, often hand-colored in watercolor. Many copies of the book are also colored, with varying degrees of skill; there were specialist shops for this. The coloring on some examples has been added much later.
The Robin's red breast and habit of living close to humankind makes it one of our most familiar birds.
Robins are widely distributed in Britain & Ireland throughout the year, from Shetland to the Channel Islands, apart from on the highest mountain tops. Robin breeding numbers increased through the last part of the 20th century and have been fairly stable since, albeit with some fluctuations.
The Robin is both a resident and also a migrant visitor to Britain during the winter months, when birds from northern and eastern Europe help to swell numbers. During particularly cold weather this pugnacious little bird can be seen sharing bird tables with several other Robins, all of them trying to defend the food source they have found.
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Remi Kajogbola and Toni Waller attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Drew Altizer Photography)
Al-Fatiha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about Sura al-fatiha. For other uses, see Al-Fatiha (disambiguation).
Quraysh
{{{Name_of_Surah}}}
Classification Makkan
Meaning of the name The Opening
Other names Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book)
Umm al-Qur'an (Mother of the Qur'an)
The Key
Surah al-Hamd (The Praise)
Time of revelation Early years of prophethood
Statistics
Sura number 1 106
Number of verses 7
Juz' number 1
Hizb number 1
Number of Rukus 1
Number of Sajdahs None
Harf-e-Mukatta'at No
Number of Ayats on particular subjects Praise of God: 3
Relation between Creator and creatures: 1
Prayer of the humankind: 3
Previous Sura —
Next Sura Al-Baqara
Listen to Surah Fatiha
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Sura Al-Fatiha (Arabic: سورة الفاتحة, Sūratu al-Fātihah, "The Opening") is the first chapter of the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an. Its seven verses are a prayer for God's guidance and stress the lordship and mercy of God. This chapter has a special role in daily prayers, being recited at the start of each unit of prayer.
Contents
1 Interpretation of the Meaning of Sura Al-Fatiha
2 Notes
3 Revelation
4 Alternate names
5 Statistics
6 Translations, interpretations and commentaries on Surah Al-Fatiha
7 See also
8 External links
Interpretation of the Meaning of Sura Al-Fatiha
Muslims believe that the Qur'an is a revelation from God in the Arabic language. Translations into other languages are considered by many to be merely superficial "interpretations" of the meanings and not authentic versions of the Qur'an. Although some Qur'an alone and liberal Muslims use translations as part of their daily prayers, they are used mainly for personal spiritual use by non-Arabic speakers.
The Arabic text with transliteration and translation in English is as follows: [Qur'an 1:1].
1:1 بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم
Bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
1:2 الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين
Al ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l-'ālamīn
All Praise is due to God, Lord of the Universe.
1:3 الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيم
Ar raḥmāni r-raḥīm
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
1:4 مَـالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّين
Māliki yawmi d-dīn
Sovereign of the Day of Judgment.
1:5 إِيَّاك نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِين
Iyyāka na'budu wa iyyāka nasta'īn
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help
1:6 اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ
Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭ al mustaqīm
Guide us to the straight path;
1:7 صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّين
Ṣirāṭ al-laḏīna an'amta 'alayhim ġayril maġḍūbi 'alayhim walāḍ ḍāllīn
The path of those on whom You have bestowed your grace, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who go astray.
When recited during daily prayers, some schools of thought follow Al-Fatihah by the word Amin.
The first verse, transliterated as "bismillāhir rahmānir rahīm", may be familiar to non-Arabic speakers and non-Muslims because of its ubiquity in Arabic and Muslim societies. This verse appears at the start of every chapter in the Qur'an with the exception of the ninth chapter. The verse is normally said before reciting a chapter or part of a chapter during daily prayer, and also before public proclamations and indeed before many personal and everyday activities in many Arabic and Muslim societies as a way to invoke God's blessing and proclaim one's motives before an undertaking.
The two words "ar rahmān" and "ar rahīm" are often translated in English as "the beneficent" and "the merciful" or "the generous" and "the merciful." They are often also translated as superlatives, for example, "the most generous" and "the most merciful". Grammatically the two words "rahmaan" and "raheem" are different linguistic forms of the triconsonantal root R-H-M, connoting "mercy". (For more information, see the section on root forms in Semitic languages). The form "rahmaan" denotes degree or extent, i.e., "most merciful," while "raheem" denotes time permanence, i.e., "ever merciful".
The reading of the first word of the fourth verse, translated as "master/king" above, has been the subject of debate. The two main recitations, of the Qur'an, Warsh and Hafs, differ on whether it should be "maliki" with a short "a," which means "king" (Warsh, from Nafi'; Ibn Kathir; Ibn Amir; Abu 'Amr; Hamza), or "māliki" with a long "a," which means "master" or "owner" (Hafs, from Asim, and al-Kisa'i). Both "maliki" and "māliki" derive from the same triconsonantal root in Arabic, M-L-K. Both readings are considered valid by many practitioners, since both can be seen as describing God.
In some Muslim societies, Al-Fatiha is traditionally read together by a couple to seal their engagement, however this act is not recorded in the sunnah and is seen by many to be an innovation.
Revelation
Islamic scholarly tradition is concerned, amongst other things, with when and where verses and chapters of the Qur'an were revealed to Muhammad - for example, whether a verse was revealed while Muhammad was in Mecca or Medina. According to Ibn Abbas and others, Sura Al-Fatiha is a Meccan surah; according to Abu Hurayrah and others, it is a Madinan surah. The former view is more widely accepted, although some believe that it was revealed in both Mecca and Medina.
Alternate names
This surah is sometimes known in English as "the Exordium". In various Hadith it is described as "the mother of the Book" (Umm al-Kitab) and "the mother of the Qur'an" (Umm al-Qur'an), and "the cure of diseases" ("Sura-tul-shifa") and said to be the seven verses alluded to in Al-Hijr [Qur'an 15:87].
Statistics
This sura contains 7 verses, 29 words and 139 letters (or 25 and 120, not counting the first verse), although Ibn Kathir says "The scholars say that Al-Fatiha consists of 25 words, and that it contains 113 letters." It falls in the first hizb, and hence the first juz', which are sections of the Qur'an.
Al-Fatiha
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Il titolo di questa voce non è corretto per via delle caratteristiche del software MediaWiki. Il titolo corretto è al-Fātiḥa.
La Fatiha arabo: الفاتحة , 'al-fātiḥa' costituisce la prima Sura del Corano (al-Fātiḥa vuol dire infatti "la Aprente").
Secondo i musulmani essa racchiude l'essenza dell'intero Libro Sacro dell'Islam ed è spesso usata come preghiera (specie nella salāt) e come formula rituale per sottolineare la pietas islamica di chi la recita.
In particolari cerimonie, in particolare la stipula di contratti che comportano l'assunzione di diritti e doveri (ad esempio, il matrimonio, che nell'islam non è altro che un contratto), la recitazione della Fatiha costituisce il momento essenziale.
Indice
1 Testo
2 Contenuto
3 Bibliografia
4 Note
5 Voci correlate
Testo
Il suo testo è il seguente:
1. Nel nome di Allah, il Clemente il Misericordioso
2. Lode ad Allah il Signore dei mondi
3. Il Clemente, il Misericordioso
4. Signore del Giorno del Giudizio
5. Te noi adoriamo ed a Te ci rivolgiamo per aiuto
6. Mostraci la retta via
7. La via di coloro cui hai concesso la Tua grazia, di coloro che non suscitano la Tua ira e che non vagano nell'errore. Amen
La traslitterazione in caratteri latini del testo arabo della Fātiha è la seguente:
1. Bi-smi llāhi al-Rahmāni al-Rahīm
2. Al-hamdu li-llāhi Rabbi l-ˁālamīn
3. Al-Rahmāni al-rahīm
4. Maliki yawmi al-dīn
5. Iyya-Ka naˁbudu wa iyya-Ka nastaˁīn
6. Ihdi-nā al-Sirāta al-Mustaqīm
7. Sirāta alladhīna anˁamta ˁalay-him ghayra al-maghdūbi ˁalay-him wa lā al-dāllīn. Amīn
Contenuto
Questa sura è per molti versi "anomala" rispetto a tutte le altre che compongono il Corano, e questa sua condizione particolare è evidenziata già dal solo fatto di essere posta al principio del Libro, nonostante la sua brevità (le altre sure, infatti, sono collocate in ordine di grandezza decrescente, con le più lunghe al principio e le più brevi alla fine).
La maggiore diversità rispetto alle altre sure sta nel fatto che, mentre le altre sono espressione della parola di Dio, e quindi Dio è in prima persona e si rivolge a Maometto, usando di solito la terza persona per gli altri uomini (spesso con una formula introduttiva: "di' (loro): ..."), la Fatiha si presenta con l'aspetto di una preghiera rivolta a Dio dagli uomini (in questo senso, è stata da molti avvicinata al Padre Nostro dei cristiani, in quanto preghiera fornita ai fedeli dalla stessa divinità)[1].
Da osservare che la formula iniziale "Nel nome di Iddio, il Clemente il Misericordioso", la cosiddetta basmala, presente all'inizio di tutte le sure (ad eccezione della IX), viene qui considerata un versetto a pieno titolo, e computata quindi nel numero totale dei versetti, contrariamente a quanto avviene in tutte la altre sure, in cui la basmala è un incipit che sta "al di fuori" dei versetti veri e propri.
Riguardo al contenuto, molti punti hanno suscitato perplessità nell'interpretazione, in particolar modo l'identificazione di coloro cui si fa riferimento quando si parla di quelli che "suscitano la Tua ira" e quelli che "vagano nell'errore". Le interpretazioni tradizionali vogliono che nei primi siano adombrati gli ebrei e nei secondi i cristiani[2].
Un'ultima osservazione interessante riguarda il Sirāt al-Mustaqīm cui si fa cenno in questa sura. L'interpretazione più immediata è quella di "la via diritta", con evidente significato spirituale, ma questo elemento è ben presto stato interpretato, in chiave escatologica, come qualcosa di reale, una sorta di immenso ponte, arcuato e sottile come il filo di una spada, che i defunti dovranno attraversare per giungere al paradiso. I beati non troveranno difficoltà nell'impresa (per essi sarà una vera e propria "strada"), mentre i malvagi non riusciranno ad attraversarlo e precipiteranno nell'inferno[3].
Bibliografia
H. Winkler, "Fatiha und Vaterunser", Zeitschrift für Semitistik und verwandte Gebiete Bd. 6 (1928) 238-246
Hasan al-Banna, Tafsir Fatihat al-Kitab, Tunis, matba'a al-shahsi, 1396h/1976
B.H. Stricker, "Sirāt al-Mustaqīm", in A la croisée des études libyco-berbères. Mélanges offerts à Paulette et Lionel Galand, Paris, Geuthner, 1993, pp. 419-428
^ Si veda, tra gli altri, Winkler 1928
^ Si veda al-Banna 1976: 46 "al-maghdūb ˁalay-him hum al-yahud (...) al-dāllūn hum al-nasara"
^ Sull'evoluzione di questa concezione, v. Stricker 1993.
Voci correlate
Pilastri dell'Islam
sharī‘a
سورة الفاتحة
من ويكيبيديا، الموسوعة الحرة
سورة الفاتحة هي أول سورة في القرآن الكريم، و حسب العقيدة الإسلامية لا تصح صلاة المسلم بدونها، إذ أن قراءتها ركن من أركان الصلاة. وقد سمى نبي الله محمد (صلى الله عليه و سلم) هذه السورة بـأم الكتاب وأم القرآن في عدة أحاديث. ولا تصح الصلاة دون قراءتها.
محتويات
1 نبذة عن سورة الفاتحة
2 سورة الفاتحة والصلاة
3 نص سورة الفاتحة (بالكامل)
4 أحاديث في فضل سورة الفاتحة
5 وصلات خارجية اِسلامية
[عدل] نبذة عن سورة الفاتحة
فاتحة الكتابسورة الفاتحة هي سورة مكية يبلغ عدد أياتها 7 آيات. وقد سميت هذه السورة بالفاتحة لانها تفتتح القرآن أي أنها أول سورة فيه. ولسورة الفاتحة كما ذكر السيوطي في كتابه "الاتقان في علون القرآن" أكثر من عشرين أسم، وهذا يدل على شرفها لان كثرة الأسماء تدل على شرف المسمى. ومن أسمائها: أم الكتاب والشافية والوافية والكافية والحمد والسبع المثاني وغيرها الكثير .
عن أبي هريرة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (أم القرآن هي السبع المثاني والقرآن العظيم) .
وسورة الفاتحة تشمل جميع معاني القرآن الكريم ومقاصده فهي كمقدمة للقرآن ككل. فقد تحدثت عن العقيدة، والعبادة والاعتقاد باليوم الآخر والإيمان بالله عز وجل وصفاته، وأفردت الله عز وجل بالعبادة والدعاء وطلب الهداية إلى الطريق المستقيم.
و يؤمن المسلمون أن سورة الفاتحة تعلمهم كيفية التعامل مع الله فأولها ثناء على الله (الحمد لله رب العالمين) وآخرها دعاء لله بالهداية (إهدنا الصراط المستقيم).
[] سورة الفاتحة والصلاة
من أهمية سورة الفاتحة انه لا تصح أي صلاة بدونها فعن عائشة قالت: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: (كل صلاة لم يُقرأ فيها بفاتحة الكتاب فهو خداج) أي أن كل صلاة من دونها غير كاملة. ويمكن للمصلي أن يكتفي بقراءة الفاتحة فقط في كل ركعة وهي أقل مقدار مسموح به.
[نص اقتباس][[عنوان وصلة[[عنوان وصلة'نص مائل'نص مائل== ملف:نص عنوان رئيسي
ملف:اسم الصورة
تعليق==']]]]
وقد أخبر النبي محمد أن سورة الفاتحة المقروءة في الصلاة مقسمة بين العبد وربه، كلما ذكر العبد منها آية رد الله عليه... ففي الحديث عن أبي هريرة قال:
«سمعت رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يقول: قال الله: (قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين ولعبدي ما سأل، فإذا قال العبد: الحمد لله رب العالمين، قال الله: حمدني عبدي، وإذا قال: الرحمن الرحيم، قال الله: أثنى علي عبدي، وإذا قال: مالك يوم الدين، قال: مجدني عبدي، فإذا قال: إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين، قال: هذا بيني وبين عبدي ولعبدي ما سأل، فإذا قال: اهدنا الصراط المستقيم، صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم، غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين، قال: هذا لعبدي ولعبدي ما سأل). »
[] نص سورة الفاتحة (بالكامل)
{{{ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (1) الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (2) الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ (3) مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (4) إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (5) اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ (6) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (7) }}}
عنوان وصلة== للاستماع للسوره == esnips.com/doc/a4c93432-b02a-48ff-b65b-1b142aff360c/ال
The following narrative was adapted from Chapter II of an early science fiction/science fantasy novel (published 1912), "The Night Land", by William Hope Hodgson. All of the words are Hodgson's with the exception of a few inserted to bridge various passages - to create a coherent narrative of the excerpts extracted from the novel.
In the novel, a 17th Century man dreams of another incarnation of his life, not a past life, but an incarnation in the far future where the world has been long bereft of our dying sun's light, and the darkness has bred forces antithetical (and inimical) to humankind. It is a world where, with the light, also went any semblance of complacent perceptual veneer, where now the full Nature of Great Powers are evident – the darker Ones vastly abundant and mortal to both body and soul.
The novel is written in a faux 17th century style that you may find hard to get into - but it's worth it for the power of the nightmarish imagery evoked through Hodgson's skill in writing primal horror – horror of the nature that yearns to consume you, to possess your very being, to enslave your waking soul for eternity and eternity and eternities more....
The text chosen here is meant to accompany my latest illustration of The Night Land (take a look at it in the large or the original size): The Watcher of the South.
I was at the South-Eastern wall of the Pyramid, and looking out through The Great Embrasure. As I stood there in the quietness of the Sleeping-Time on the One Thousandth Plateau, I heard a far, dreadful sound, down in the lightless East; and, presently, again - a strange, dreadful laughter, deep as a low thunder among the mountains. And because this sound came odd whiles from the Unknown Lands beyond the Valley of The Hounds, we had named that far and never-seen Place “The Country Whence Comes The Great Laughter.” And though I had heard the sound many a time, yet did I never hear it without a strange thrilling, and a sense of my littleness - and of the utter terror which had beset the last millions of the world.
Before me ran the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk. Searching the road with my gaze, I passed beyond this the place where the road, sweeping vastly to the South-East, was lit a space, strangely, by the light from the Silver-fire Holes.
And thus at last to where it swayed to the South of the Dark Palace, and thence Southward still, until it passed round to the Westward, beyond the mountain bulk of the Watching Thing in the South - the hugest monster in all the visible Night Lands.
My spy-glass showed it to me with clearness - a living hill of watchfulness, known to us as The Watcher Of The South. It brooded there, squat and tremendous, hunched over the pale radiance of the Glowing Dome.
Much, I know, had been writ concerning this Odd, Vast Watcher; for it had grown out of the blackness of the South Unknown Lands a million years gone; and the steady growing nearness of it had been noted and set out at length by the men they called Monstruwacans; so that it was possible to search in our libraries, and learn of the very coming of this Beast in the olden-time.
And, while I mind me, there were even then, and always, men named Monstruwacans, whose duty it was to take heed of the great Forces, and to watch the Monsters and the Beasts that beset the great Pyramid, and measure and record, and have so full a knowledge of these same that, did one but sway an head in the darkness, the same matter was set down with particularness in the Records.
And, so to tell more about the South Watcher. A million years gone, as I have told, came it out from the blackness of the South, and grew steadily nearer through twenty thousand years; but so slow that in no one year could a man perceive that it had moved.
Yet it had movement, and had come thus far upon its road to the Redoubt, when the Glowing Dome rose out of the ground before it - growing slowly. And this had stayed the way of the Monster; so that through an eternity it had looked towards the Pyramid across the pale glare of the Dome, and seeming to have no power to advance nearer.
And because of this, much had been writ to prove that there were other forces than evil at work in the Night Lands, about the Last Redoubt. And this I have always thought to be wisely said; and, indeed, there to be no doubt to the matter, for there were many things in the time of which I have knowledge, which seemed to make clear that, even as the Forces of Darkness were loose upon the End of Man; so were there other Forces out to do battle with the Terror; though in ways most strange and unthought of by the human mind....
The Watcher of the South was, as I have made known, a monster differing from the other Watching Things, of which there were in all four. One to the North-West, and one to the South-East,, one to the South-West, and the other to the North-East; and thus the four watchers kept ward through the darkness, upon the Pyramid, and moved not, neither gave they out any sound. Yet did we know them to be mountains of living watchfulness and hideous and steadfast intelligence.
Of the coming of these monstrosities and evil Forces, no man could say much with verity; for the evil of it began before the Histories of the Great Redoubt were shaped; aye, even before the sun had lost all power to light; though, it must not be a thing of certainty, that even at this far time the invisible, black heavens held no warmth for this world
Long ago, when the Great Pyramid was built, the last millions went within its ageless grey-metal walls, and made themselves a great house and city of this Last Redoubt, upon the height of which I observe and relate the particulars of the Night Land, which is ever encroaching, and only ever just at bay.
Through hundreds and thousands of years, there grew up in these Outer Lands, beyond those which lay under the guard of the Redoubt, mighty and lost races of terrible creatures, half men and half beast, and evil and dreadful; and these made war upon the Redoubt; but were beaten off from that grim, metal mountain, with a vast slaughter. Yet, must there have been many such attacks, until the electric circle was put about the Pyramid, and lit from the Earth-Current. And the lowest half-mile of the Pyramid was sealed; and so at last there was a peace, and the beginnings of that Eternity of quiet watching for the day when the Earth-Current shall become exhausted.
Through the forgotten centuries, had the Creatures been glutted time and again upon such odd bands of daring ones as had adventured forth to explore through the mystery of the Night Lands; for of those who went, scarce any did ever return; for there were eyes in all that dark; and Powers and Forces abroad....
As that Eternal Night lengthened itself upon the world, the power of terror grew and strengthened. And fresh and greater monsters developed and bred out of all space and Outward Dimensions, attracted, even as it might be Infernal sharks, by that lonely and mighty hill of humanity, facing its end - so near to the Eternal, and yet so far deferred in the minds and to the senses of those humans.
And thus hath it been ever....
See related images and text in my flickr set dedicated to The Night Land.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATION:
The image was created by setting up a cool-looking stone (which, btw, is by no means sinister - it hasn't a malevolent mineral in its composition - though it did a fine job playing the role for this shoot) and, in front it, a clear plastic undrilled bowling ball I found many years ago. I positioned the stone toward the top of the ball to get the “dome” effect. At the bottom of the bowling ball, I placed a small flashlight between the stone and the ball, facing into the ball to make the top glow. On the other side of the ball at the bottom, I position another flashlight, facing it up through the ball toward the stone. This would lightly illuminate the stone from the ball’s (“dome’s”) direction and at the proper angle. I wrapped this flashlight in cloth to muffle and diffuse the light. After turning off all the other lights in the place, I set up my tripod, taking a series of shots, turning the stone various ways, adjusting the light, etc.
After downloading the images to my laptop, I did the rest in Photoshop Elements 5. Through trial and error, I converting the raw elements of the image into The Watcher of the South that I envision (the dome should be more of a softly-glowing baby blue and more diffuse, but I’ll eventually do another version). The basic stone is what was originally shot, except that I added more to on both sides and on top by copying other views of the stone from other shots. I then changed the color to tones more consistent with the dome’s glow.
The dome itself is a composite of the original bowling ball top and an inverted copy of it added to the underside of the image to create the 3-D look – a three-quarter view. It took many attempts to get it to the point you see it in the above image. (I’d like to see the whole dome more symmetrical, and with cleaner arcs instead of the slightly wavering arcs you might notice on it, but I’ve spent enough time on this particular illustration and will live with its imperfections.) The inside of the dome is the culmination of – again – many reworkings to give it a low-illumination-yet-dynamic glow. Finally, I selected and moved the dome numerous times, horizontally/vertically as well as skewing it, until I was relatively satisfied with its position in relation to the Watcher behind it.
That’s about it, other than trying various crops. I’m happy to have a visual of The Watcher of the South seen in my mind’s eye.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Fred Najjar, Samira Najjar and Sally Miller attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography)
A new day breaks in the "Cradle of Humankind" (a World Heritage Site in Kromdraai, Gauteng, South Africa).
"Mrs. Ples" (Australopithecus africanus) was found in this area in 1947, and is currently the oldest human fossil found to date. this gave rise to the idea that Africa is the "Cradle of Humankind".
In 2008 two fossilised skeletons of a new species of early human "Australopithecus sediba" were discovered.
Winter, June 2007.
Best viewed LARGE.
Martin
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Administrator of:
All things beautiful in Nature Group
1. I am so happy, I could cry..., 2. Humankind has not woven the web of life... we are but one thread within it..., 3. Untitled, 4. ..., 5. summer, 6. ~Enjoy life. This is not a dress rehearsal~, 7. Untitled, 8. Sisters, 9. Elsa Mae, 10. Cross's six months pics, 11. Untitled, 12. frozen roses, 13. You are where you are because that's where you need to be. And if you need to move on, you'll move on..., 14. 13/365, 15. "I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." ~Andrew Wyeth, 16. urban, 17. long legged ballerina!, 18. :: There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. ::, 19. Day 106: Deep in thought, 20. Clusters, 21. Clusters, 22. Cheeky, 23. Punk Rock baby, 24. "Can we conceive what humanity would be if it did not know the flowers?" Maurice Maeterlinck, 25. Little Miss M
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Jennifer List and Mark DeClue attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography)
B/fwd from 2013......
I don't fully understand why ..but this, as a human, is the most embarrassing situation of my life ... as part of humankind.
Maybe it is because we saw so much footage yet were doing ' nothing ' ...... even though there is drought, starvation, war, trafficking and children dying from no meds... somehow this is different for me... I don't know why.
There is an inertia whilst it all takes place... we don't fight, we don't help.... at least not enough........... It is all so wrong ..the news becoming just as though another advertisement for the norm..the everyday, the grocery shop ... so bad .
I am going to contact someone out there and see what, if anything I can do...
Yet even with some small amount of money in their pocket they will need it to pay someone to help them get away - find a way out - to help their escape onto a route and there is no food to buy..no water to be had....... No protection from the bombing and no safety for the vulnerable... nowhere to stop and bury the dead...... Under stocked refugee settlements ... Countries finding them such a burden.......
Yet today I saw a photo of two sisters walking arms around each other's shoulders as they picked their way through one of these settlements to find water. Holding each other... Together .
www.unicef.org.uk/landing-pages/donate-syria-unicef/?gcli...
You may ignore the donation amount suggestions and type your own amount.
.................................................
GENEVA, July 16 (UNHCR) – UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres on Tuesday urged countries against restricting cross-border access for Syrian refugees while warning that immediate measures must be taken to mitigate the enormous risks of spill-over and to stabilize Syria's neighbours.
"I reiterate my call to all states, in the region and further afield, to keep borders open and receive all Syrians who seek protection"
Help Syrian Children
The ongoing violence in Syria is taking a toll on children and their families. Donate to help UNICEF meet the urgent needs of children.
This is the Link.........
www.unicef.org.uk/landing-pages/donate-syria-unicef/?gcli...
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - May 18 - Dr. Narinder and Theresa Shargill attend CommonSpirit's Humankindness Gala 2023 on May 18th 2023 at San Francisco in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography)
Ramadan (Arabic : رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn] ) (also Ramadhan, Ramadaan, Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , which lasts 29 to 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting , in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking [1] and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic : الله, trans: Allah ) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar , the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon ; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet , Muhammad .
Contents
[hide ]
· 1 Origins of Ramadan
· 2 The Beginning of Ramadan
· 3 Practices during Ramadan
o 3.1 Fasting
o 3.2 Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
o 3.3 Iftar
o 3.4 Charity
o 3.5 Laylat al-Qadr
· 4 Eid ul-Fitr
· 5 Cultural aspects
o 5.1 Decorations
· 6 Economic aspects
· 7 See also
· 8 References
· 9 External links
[edit ] Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[2] scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season.[3] The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to a hadith , it might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur .[4] [5]
[edit ] The Beginning of Ramadan
Hilāl (the crescent ) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.[6]
There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to sight the moon with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe.[7] More recently however, some Muslims are leaning towards using astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.
For the year of 1432 Hijri , the first day of Ramadan was determined to be August 1, 2011.
[edit ] Practices during Ramadan
[edit ] Fasting
Main article: Sawm
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down - right Guidance to mankind, and clear signs of Guidance and Distinction of truth from falsehood. Those among you who witness it, let him fast therein. Whoever is sick or on a journey, then a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship. Thus may you fulfil the number of days assigned, magnify God for having guided you, and perhaps you will be thankful.
Ayah 185, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara ), translation by Tarif Khalidi see:[2] [8]
Ramadan is a time of reflecting, believing and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual intercourse among spouse is allowed after one has ended the fast. During fasting intercourse is prohibited as well as eating and drinking, one is also encouraged to resist all temptations while you are fasting. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,[9] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat ).[10]
Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty , so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed.[11] While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood , many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Lastly, those traveling (musaafir) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.[12] More specifically, Twelver Shī‘ah define those who travel more than 14 mi (23 km) in a day as exempt.[10]
[edit ] Prayer and reading of the Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz' , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparation of special foods and inviting people for Iftar .
[edit ] Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Iftar in Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Is Istanbul ,Turkey
Muslims all around the world will abstain from food and drink, through fasting, from dawn to sunset. At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar . The meal starts with the eating of a date — just as Prophet Muhammad used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. [13]
Over time, Iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities, but may also occupy larger spaces at mosques or banquet halls, where a hundred or more may gather at a time.[14]
Most markets close down during evening prayers and the Iftar meal, but then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. In many Muslim countries, this can last late into the evening, to early morning. However, if they try to attend to business as usual, it can become a time of personal trials, fasting without coffee or water.
[edit ] Charity
Charity is very important in Islam, and even more so during Ramadhan. According to tradition, Ramadhan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 700 times greater than any other time of the year. For that reason, Muslims will spend more in charity (sadaqa), and many will pay their zakat during Ramadhan, to receive the blessings (reward). In many Muslim countries, it is not uncommon to see people giving food to the poor and the homeless, and to even see large public areas for the poor to come and break their fast. It is said that if a person helps a fasting person to break their fast, then they receive a reward for that fast, without diminishing the reward that the fasting person got for their fast.
[edit ] Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", Laylat al-Qadr is considered the most holy night of the year.[15] Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. Shiites also commemorate the attack on Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib and his subsequent martyrdom every year on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Ramadan.
[edit ] Eid ul-Fitr
Main article: Eid ul-Fitr
The holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic : عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the back to the fitrah ; usually a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two Raka'ah only, and it is sunnah muakkad [16] as opposed to the compulsory (Fard) five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.
[edit ] Cultural aspects
[edit ] Decorations
Ramadan is met with various decorations throughout the streets. In Egypt , lanterns are known to be a symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition, the origin of which is said to lie in the Fatimid era where the Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah was greeted by people holding lanterns to celebrate his ruling. From that time lanterns were used to light mosques and houses throughout the city.
In other Muslim countries, lights are strung up in public squares, and across city streets, to add to the festivities of the month. In the West, many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make Ramadhan a more special time for their children.
[edit ] Economic aspects
In Egypt, national statistics have pointed to substantial increase in consumption of food, electricity, and medications related to digestive disorders during the month of Ramadan as compared with the monthly average in the rest of the year.[17]