As the sun went down Monday evening, more than 10,000 Muslims in San Antonio began the fast that marks the first day of Ramadan.
Ramadan comes in the ninth month of the lunar-based Muslim calendar and is considered the most holy month of all.
The Raindrop Turkish House on the city’s Northwest Side hopes to help the world to peace through its work in communities, by sharing and understanding each other no matter what the faith.
Mehmet Oguz has arranged for the Turkish Muslim group to break bread with a different faith group each of 29 evenings of Ramadan for the month of sharing.
The Raindrop Turkish House on the city’s northwest side hopes to help the world to peace through its work in communities, by sharing and understanding each other no matter what the faith.
MehmetOguz has arranged for the Turkish Muslim group to break bread with a different faith group each of the next 29 evenings of Ramadan for the month of sharing.
“There’s going to be one with Catholic Charities, with Temple Beth-El, Congregation Agudas Achim, Temple Chai, Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, MacArthur Lutheran Church, and members of the Baha’i faith and Sikh faith.”
Mehmet says Muslims participating in Ramadan will also concentrate on good thoughts, give up bad habits like smoking and drinking, and perform charitable acts each day. There is even a youtube video that shows non-Muslims how to support their Muslim friends and coworkers.
“It would be very kind not to show up with food, cold drinks, et cetera, at Muslim gatherings. And especially in a work environment. More than any other time, you should not be smoking among Muslims.”
The Muslim faith, growing in San Antonio for many years, serves a diverse community from many countries. Mehmet says no matter the country, the fasting is the same, from sunup to sundown. But in San Antonio, he says it’s not so hard.
“In Russia we fast for 20 hours because the sun rises at 2:30 a.m. and the sundown was at 10:30 or 11 p.m.”
Mehmet says the point of Ramadan is to help the Muslim reach a higher plane, to do good work, and to maintain the good habits and thoughts he practiced during Ramadan all year long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZ8Bv08CnY
