On Friday night, my friend and I broke the fast and feasted at the mosque. An important element of Ramadan, however, is to invite close friends to do the same in one's own home. My friend is hosting tomorrow night, and she invited me to celebrate with her again.
So, as I did yesterday, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. today for some oatmeal and then went back to sleep. I will continue fasting today and go to my friend's apartment this evening. She has invited her fiance and two or three other friends - one other besides myself is not a Muslim. I'm going to be bringing dessert, and I'm going to make mocha truffle brownies with caramel sauce. All I can think of is: How am I going to bake those without tasting them and licking the bowl? Haha :)
Actually, a second thought I'm having is: I'm going to get so much done today because I won't be spending time cooking and eating! To do list: Laundry, cleaning, reading...
Showing posts with label mosque. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mosque. Show all posts
13 August 2011
Breaking the fast
After work today, I came home, took off my pink-striped hijab, and changed into pajamas. I took a nap, and it was wonderful. My stomach had been hurting, I had had a headache, and I was tired. When I woke up two hours later, I changed into a bright blue scarf - a gift from my best friend from when she went to Israel. (Thanks, Chris!) I also put on a tunic-style shirt over my jeans so that I wouldn't need to worry about my back showing during prayer at the mosque. Unfortunately, I pinned my scarf a little too tightly and it bothered me the entire evening. During the day, I had not had this problem...
When my friend and I got to the mosque around 8:30, we entered a cafeteria-like room crowded with women and children, and we found seats at a table in the back. (The men were in an adjacent room.) There were napkins, cups, spoons, and jugs of water on each table... and in the center of each table was a plate of dates. They were mesmerizing. Prayers were being piped in through speakers on the wall, and as soon as those were through, we all took a date and ate it slowly. I'd never eaten a date before, and it was glorious. Apparently dates contain a very high amount of potassium, which helps with hydration.
(Ramadan is celebrated to reflect the time when the prophet Muhammad received the words of the Quran, and he ate dates and drank water to break his fast. Today, the fast is broken each night in this way.)
After this small nourishment, the sunset prayers were done as a group in the main rooms of the mosque. There were so many people there. So many. The men pray on the first floor, in a huge room in which one person at the front with a microphone leads the prayers. The women and children are on the second floor, which overlooks the men's area on the first floor. Both areas are carpeted in a certain pattern that designates individual spots for prayer. Basically, the carpet patterns are shoulder-width apart in even lines that allow enough room for prostration.
The actual prayer is led in Arabic, and consists of a series of motions. Standing with arms against the stomach, bending at the waist, standing again, prostrating, kneeling, prostrating, standing, and repeating this different numbers of times based on the time of day.
After the sunset prayer was the feast. We returned to the dining area where we had eaten the dates, and we were served plates heaped with lamb meat, roasted chicken, rice, different sauces and stews, nan, salad... so delicious. I kept thinking that someone had made all of this food, but hadn't even been able to try it. I was lucky to be busy in an office all day and not thinking about food... but being in a kitchen with all those delicious smells?
After this meal, there was about an hour to kill before the next prayer time, so my friend and I went... to McDonald's for coffee. We knew it was ridiculous, but we had some great conversation, and she explained to me a lot more about what was happening at the mosque.
And finally, back at the mosque, we did more group prayers. My friend had explained that these would be a little different than the normal ones that I had just finally learned. The leader of the prayers would read the Quran in Arabic throughout, and the idea is to read the entire book over the course of the 30 days. This usually goes on for over 3 hours per evening of Ramadan, but we only stayed for the first hour or so. This time, the rooms were even more crowded. We prayed in an overflow room with lots of women and children.
I mentioned the speakers on the walls of the rooms; every room and area in the mosque has these speakers so that everyone can hear not only the calls to prayer, but also be involved in whatever is happening at the mosque at any time. So even in our overflow room, we felt very connected to what was happening in the main area.
The atmosphere the entire evening was mixed. Everyone was hungry and tired. Hungry and tired mothers struggled to control their hungry and tired children, who were constantly shrieking. When the food was being served, some people were rude or demanding. But at the same time, there was an overwhelming attitude of celebration, gratefulness, and that of wanting to help others. Ramadan is a time when every good deed done by a Muslim during that month will be magnified in the afterlife. It's like a race or contest to do the most good things with the best attitude possible in your heart.
I learned a lot about myself through this experience. It also solidified in my mind some of the values that I stand for and why, including modesty. I actually appreciate that men and women are so separate at the mosque. I never once thought about how I looked or appeared. The focus was only on attitude, and that was wonderful.
When my friend and I got to the mosque around 8:30, we entered a cafeteria-like room crowded with women and children, and we found seats at a table in the back. (The men were in an adjacent room.) There were napkins, cups, spoons, and jugs of water on each table... and in the center of each table was a plate of dates. They were mesmerizing. Prayers were being piped in through speakers on the wall, and as soon as those were through, we all took a date and ate it slowly. I'd never eaten a date before, and it was glorious. Apparently dates contain a very high amount of potassium, which helps with hydration.
(Ramadan is celebrated to reflect the time when the prophet Muhammad received the words of the Quran, and he ate dates and drank water to break his fast. Today, the fast is broken each night in this way.)
After this small nourishment, the sunset prayers were done as a group in the main rooms of the mosque. There were so many people there. So many. The men pray on the first floor, in a huge room in which one person at the front with a microphone leads the prayers. The women and children are on the second floor, which overlooks the men's area on the first floor. Both areas are carpeted in a certain pattern that designates individual spots for prayer. Basically, the carpet patterns are shoulder-width apart in even lines that allow enough room for prostration.
The actual prayer is led in Arabic, and consists of a series of motions. Standing with arms against the stomach, bending at the waist, standing again, prostrating, kneeling, prostrating, standing, and repeating this different numbers of times based on the time of day.
After the sunset prayer was the feast. We returned to the dining area where we had eaten the dates, and we were served plates heaped with lamb meat, roasted chicken, rice, different sauces and stews, nan, salad... so delicious. I kept thinking that someone had made all of this food, but hadn't even been able to try it. I was lucky to be busy in an office all day and not thinking about food... but being in a kitchen with all those delicious smells?
After this meal, there was about an hour to kill before the next prayer time, so my friend and I went... to McDonald's for coffee. We knew it was ridiculous, but we had some great conversation, and she explained to me a lot more about what was happening at the mosque.
And finally, back at the mosque, we did more group prayers. My friend had explained that these would be a little different than the normal ones that I had just finally learned. The leader of the prayers would read the Quran in Arabic throughout, and the idea is to read the entire book over the course of the 30 days. This usually goes on for over 3 hours per evening of Ramadan, but we only stayed for the first hour or so. This time, the rooms were even more crowded. We prayed in an overflow room with lots of women and children.
I mentioned the speakers on the walls of the rooms; every room and area in the mosque has these speakers so that everyone can hear not only the calls to prayer, but also be involved in whatever is happening at the mosque at any time. So even in our overflow room, we felt very connected to what was happening in the main area.
The atmosphere the entire evening was mixed. Everyone was hungry and tired. Hungry and tired mothers struggled to control their hungry and tired children, who were constantly shrieking. When the food was being served, some people were rude or demanding. But at the same time, there was an overwhelming attitude of celebration, gratefulness, and that of wanting to help others. Ramadan is a time when every good deed done by a Muslim during that month will be magnified in the afterlife. It's like a race or contest to do the most good things with the best attitude possible in your heart.
I learned a lot about myself through this experience. It also solidified in my mind some of the values that I stand for and why, including modesty. I actually appreciate that men and women are so separate at the mosque. I never once thought about how I looked or appeared. The focus was only on attitude, and that was wonderful.
12 August 2011
Mid-day update
This morning felt a little unreal because of all the waking, then sleeping, then waking, etc. Fasting and wearing hijab have been uneventful. I think my level of self control and discipline on a daily basis are extremely high, so the most difficult part of my experience so far has been keeping focus on why I'm doing this.
I don't really care what people think of me or how they perceive me. Other than my coworkers, I haven't come into contact with anyone else I know. There have just been some double-takes in the hallway, like the maintenance guy I always say hello to.
The point isn't to look different or to stand out, but rather to learn and to help me focus on what should be important to me. And let me tell you how wonderful it is to walk down the street and know that people are not judging me based on appearance. Let's be real - whenever you see a person, you automatically put them in a category: good-looking or not. Today, I feel like people are looking at me and saying, "She's probably a nice person." Which creates its own problem in my mind, because I don't know if they're right. But at least they aren't checking me out.
I'm trying to be a nice person. It's something that I honestly have not been too concerned with lately. Living alone and pursuing a career can make you selfish... but at the same time, I guess I'm the only one who truly sees it. Look at how much I'm learning already today.
Tonight I'm going to the mosque, and I will definitely be writing about the following: the atmosphere, what food we break the fast with (I have no idea what it will be), and reflection on the day.
Do you have any questions or thoughts? Please share.
I don't really care what people think of me or how they perceive me. Other than my coworkers, I haven't come into contact with anyone else I know. There have just been some double-takes in the hallway, like the maintenance guy I always say hello to.
The point isn't to look different or to stand out, but rather to learn and to help me focus on what should be important to me. And let me tell you how wonderful it is to walk down the street and know that people are not judging me based on appearance. Let's be real - whenever you see a person, you automatically put them in a category: good-looking or not. Today, I feel like people are looking at me and saying, "She's probably a nice person." Which creates its own problem in my mind, because I don't know if they're right. But at least they aren't checking me out.
I'm trying to be a nice person. It's something that I honestly have not been too concerned with lately. Living alone and pursuing a career can make you selfish... but at the same time, I guess I'm the only one who truly sees it. Look at how much I'm learning already today.
Tonight I'm going to the mosque, and I will definitely be writing about the following: the atmosphere, what food we break the fast with (I have no idea what it will be), and reflection on the day.
Do you have any questions or thoughts? Please share.
11 August 2011
Preparing for a day of Ramadan
I’m going to be observing one day of Ramadan with a Muslim friend tomorrow. Ramadan is a month-long period of fasting during daylight hours, and this year it falls during August.
When I went to (a Christian) high school, we often discussed Ramadan, and Islam for that matter. I used to think Ramadan was a sham because you can totally eat and drink before sunrise and after sundown. Cheating. Lame. Foot in mouth.
I should also remind my readers that when I was in high school, Ramadan fell during the winter. Much shorter day!
But it’s still not going to be easy.
Tomorrow I’m going to be waking up at 5:00 a.m. to make and eat breakfast – probably something like oatmeal! Since I’m not a Muslim and don’t know Arabic, I’m not going to actually do the Fajr prayer at 5:15 a.m., but I will at that time meditate on what Islam means.
Then I will go back to sleep.
At 6:38 a.m. is the sunrise prayer.
After this, I will probably go back to sleep until 8:00, even though I usually wake up at 6:15 to go for a walk/run and do things around the apartment before work. But tomorrow, I don’t want to be tempted to eat before work at 9:00.
I’m going to be wearing hijab, or a head covering, as well as fasting. The Ramadan practice is to obviously not eat anything, but also to not drink. Water is acceptable only if absolutely necessary and if done in private.
I let my coworkers know about the hijab, because wouldn’t that be awkward if I hadn’t said a thing? I think they probably wouldn’t recognize me at first, and then I’d have a ton of explaining to do all at once. I really don’t want any attention tomorrow.
I sent a brief email to all 12 or so of my coworkers this afternoon, and everyone has been very supportive – not that I expected any differently. What I’m doing is really not that big of a deal, anyway… but seriously, I had to at least mention that/why I’m going to look different tomorrow.
Anyway, the next prayer time after 6:38 a.m. is 1:38 p.m. Since I’m not taking a lunch break, I’ll take a moment to meditate again and reflect on the day and what Islam means to me.
In the evening, after a nap at home, I’m going with my friend to the mosque – the same one I went to earlier this year. The 8:37 p.m. Maghrib prayer is when the sun goes down, so afterward everyone eats together, and then sticks around for the 10:02 p.m. Isha prayer, the fifth and final one of the day.
Now the big question is: Why am I doing this?
First of all, I was invited to the evening at the mosque, which I immediately accepted. And then I thought it would be hypocritical and rude if I didn’t fast all day. More importantly, I just want to. Islam – cultural Islam in particular – has really played a huge role in my life the past few years. Out of respect for my friends and what they have brought to my life, I am observing one day of Ramadan. I want to dig deeper into who I am, what I stand for, and how Islam has impacted how I view the world. I have a great respect for the religion and my Muslim friends.
When I went to (a Christian) high school, we often discussed Ramadan, and Islam for that matter. I used to think Ramadan was a sham because you can totally eat and drink before sunrise and after sundown. Cheating. Lame. Foot in mouth.
I should also remind my readers that when I was in high school, Ramadan fell during the winter. Much shorter day!
But it’s still not going to be easy.
Tomorrow I’m going to be waking up at 5:00 a.m. to make and eat breakfast – probably something like oatmeal! Since I’m not a Muslim and don’t know Arabic, I’m not going to actually do the Fajr prayer at 5:15 a.m., but I will at that time meditate on what Islam means.
Then I will go back to sleep.
At 6:38 a.m. is the sunrise prayer.
After this, I will probably go back to sleep until 8:00, even though I usually wake up at 6:15 to go for a walk/run and do things around the apartment before work. But tomorrow, I don’t want to be tempted to eat before work at 9:00.
I’m going to be wearing hijab, or a head covering, as well as fasting. The Ramadan practice is to obviously not eat anything, but also to not drink. Water is acceptable only if absolutely necessary and if done in private.
I let my coworkers know about the hijab, because wouldn’t that be awkward if I hadn’t said a thing? I think they probably wouldn’t recognize me at first, and then I’d have a ton of explaining to do all at once. I really don’t want any attention tomorrow.
I sent a brief email to all 12 or so of my coworkers this afternoon, and everyone has been very supportive – not that I expected any differently. What I’m doing is really not that big of a deal, anyway… but seriously, I had to at least mention that/why I’m going to look different tomorrow.
Anyway, the next prayer time after 6:38 a.m. is 1:38 p.m. Since I’m not taking a lunch break, I’ll take a moment to meditate again and reflect on the day and what Islam means to me.
In the evening, after a nap at home, I’m going with my friend to the mosque – the same one I went to earlier this year. The 8:37 p.m. Maghrib prayer is when the sun goes down, so afterward everyone eats together, and then sticks around for the 10:02 p.m. Isha prayer, the fifth and final one of the day.
Now the big question is: Why am I doing this?
First of all, I was invited to the evening at the mosque, which I immediately accepted. And then I thought it would be hypocritical and rude if I didn’t fast all day. More importantly, I just want to. Islam – cultural Islam in particular – has really played a huge role in my life the past few years. Out of respect for my friends and what they have brought to my life, I am observing one day of Ramadan. I want to dig deeper into who I am, what I stand for, and how Islam has impacted how I view the world. I have a great respect for the religion and my Muslim friends.
05 June 2011
Pegged as an Outsider
In reference to my previous post about wearing hijab to the mosque, I found myself on the opposite side of a situation that I initiate all the time – It’s me who is usually the one who awkwardly asks people where they’re from.
Example: At the Asian festival in Columbus, I spoke with a woman at a stall selling traditional Chinese art. I could tell by her accent that she was probably from Beijing, or at least northern China. I told her I was interested in the Chinese paper cuttings, and that I had lived in Lanzhou, Gansu. We chatted about western China for a while, and then that dreaded moment came.
“Where are you from?”
“Michigan.”
“Welcome to Ohio!” I said, and left it at that.
I find myself in this situation all the time, and I know that it’s me who is at fault. I’m genuinely curious about other languages and cultures - I’m not judging people for having an accent or different customs. But citizenship, nationality, and identity are touchy subjects for most people.
Another example: I met a woman from Uzbekistan a few weeks ago. When I first asked where she was from, her answer was "Well, I was born in Asia, then my family moved to Russia, and now I live in Cincinnati." We had been talking for about 10 minutes when I realized she must be from Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan, so I asked, "Which Asian country were you born in?" She was so surprised that I was familiar with her country!
So my turn came at Masjid Noor, a mosque in Dublin. I was washing my hands in the bathroom when a teenager smiled at me in the mirror. I smiled back and said hi.
“Where are you from?” she asked me.
I was completely caught off guard, not only by the words of her question, but by her unspoken assumption that I was different.
“I’m from Columbus.”
“Oh, cool. Did you come with someone today?”
“Yeah, I came with my friend. We work together.”
Being on the other side helps me to understand better. It made wonder what reasons the girl had for (correctly) guessing that I didn’t quite belong. But at the same time, I recognized her interest in me and my story for how I ended up at the conference at Masjid Noor. And then she hit me with this one:
“You look really beautiful in hijab.”
Example: At the Asian festival in Columbus, I spoke with a woman at a stall selling traditional Chinese art. I could tell by her accent that she was probably from Beijing, or at least northern China. I told her I was interested in the Chinese paper cuttings, and that I had lived in Lanzhou, Gansu. We chatted about western China for a while, and then that dreaded moment came.
“Where are you from?”
“Michigan.”
“Welcome to Ohio!” I said, and left it at that.
I find myself in this situation all the time, and I know that it’s me who is at fault. I’m genuinely curious about other languages and cultures - I’m not judging people for having an accent or different customs. But citizenship, nationality, and identity are touchy subjects for most people.
Another example: I met a woman from Uzbekistan a few weeks ago. When I first asked where she was from, her answer was "Well, I was born in Asia, then my family moved to Russia, and now I live in Cincinnati." We had been talking for about 10 minutes when I realized she must be from Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan, so I asked, "Which Asian country were you born in?" She was so surprised that I was familiar with her country!
So my turn came at Masjid Noor, a mosque in Dublin. I was washing my hands in the bathroom when a teenager smiled at me in the mirror. I smiled back and said hi.
“Where are you from?” she asked me.
I was completely caught off guard, not only by the words of her question, but by her unspoken assumption that I was different.
“I’m from Columbus.”
“Oh, cool. Did you come with someone today?”
“Yeah, I came with my friend. We work together.”
Being on the other side helps me to understand better. It made wonder what reasons the girl had for (correctly) guessing that I didn’t quite belong. But at the same time, I recognized her interest in me and my story for how I ended up at the conference at Masjid Noor. And then she hit me with this one:
“You look really beautiful in hijab.”
04 June 2011
The First Time I Wore Hijab
I can tell a good friend by how she suggests we spend time together. I got this text at work yesterday:
“I’m going to a conference tonight at Masjid Noor and was wondering if you’d like to come. There’s going to be some really great speakers. Let me know.”
Movies, a bar, shopping… not so much. A conference? On Islam? Heck yes. Friends for life.
“So I wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering, that you do not need to cover your hair at the Masjid. You can if you’d like, but it’s your decision, and totally ok if you don’t want to : )”
She came over after work and we ate portabella mushroom salad, and then I put on hijab. It was so normal, and that’s what I’m writing about. I put it on and walked out the door. We went to the bank and chatted with a woman at the ATM. I don’t even think she noticed my head covering. So normal. We drove to the mosque. All the women were in hijab, so of course it was normal. We did salat. So normal. We listened to a speaker. We did salat again, because it was that time. Another speaker. And salat. And a speaker. Beautiful.
Have you ever learned so much in one evening, yet you feel like you knew it all along?
“I’m going to a conference tonight at Masjid Noor and was wondering if you’d like to come. There’s going to be some really great speakers. Let me know.”
Movies, a bar, shopping… not so much. A conference? On Islam? Heck yes. Friends for life.
“So I wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering, that you do not need to cover your hair at the Masjid. You can if you’d like, but it’s your decision, and totally ok if you don’t want to : )”
She came over after work and we ate portabella mushroom salad, and then I put on hijab. It was so normal, and that’s what I’m writing about. I put it on and walked out the door. We went to the bank and chatted with a woman at the ATM. I don’t even think she noticed my head covering. So normal. We drove to the mosque. All the women were in hijab, so of course it was normal. We did salat. So normal. We listened to a speaker. We did salat again, because it was that time. Another speaker. And salat. And a speaker. Beautiful.
Have you ever learned so much in one evening, yet you feel like you knew it all along?
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