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AHRC Wishes all Muslims a Blessed Ramadan
The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) wishes all Muslims a blessed Ramadan. Ramadan is the holiest month in the Muslim calendar.
Ramadan is expected to begin on April 24, 2020. Ramadan is a month of fasting, praying, giving and spending time with friends and family. Given the mandate of social distancing, this Ramadan will be different from all the Ramadan’s that preceded it.
Social distancing means that Muslims will not be spending time at mosques, group iftars/dinners and iftars with other families. Like churches and synagogues that were closed during religious holidays due to the pandemic, mosques also will continue to be closed to worshipers. People will be confined home and utilize technology to connect with friends, family and mosque. Many Mosques will stream services online.
The right to free exercise of religion is one of the most fundamental of human rights. However, just like the Declaration of Human Rights, the Islamic faith puts the preservation of life as the top consideration. These are extraordinary times and they require extraordinary measures.
AHRC urges everyone to follow the instructions issued by the government regarding to measures needed to control the spread of the pandemic.
“Ramadan is a special blessed month. This year, however, Ramadan is going to be unique due to the health crisis we are facing, said Imam Elturk, AHRC board member. “The communal services such as the evening congregational prayers (taraweeh) and community dinners at mosques will be suspended and perhaps the Eid celebration as well,” added Elturk.
“However, let us not let COVID 19 threaten the spirit of Ramadan and Eid. Fear of contracting the Corona Virus is not an excuse to give up fasting. Healthy people are required to fast, while sick people are exempted. We can keep the spirit of Ramadan alive by attending the virtual sermons, lectures and talks that are being offered by mosques through live stream feeds. we can connect with families virtually using the smart phones’ apps while staying safe and healthy. Preservation of the soul is one of the objectives of Islam. We are going through rough trying times but it will be over soon, God-Wiling. Stay safe and healthy and have a very blessed Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak,” concluded Elturk.
“We are truly saddened to have the faithful having to stay away from their houses of worship and beloved community during religious holidays and occasions,” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “These are hard times and we salute all clergy who have respected the government instructions as to social distancing, you are saving lives,” concluded Hamad.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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