SALT LAKE CITY — The holy month of Ramadan, considered one of the pillars of Islam, is now underway for Utah Muslims.
"Ramadan is a month of celebration and reflection and coming closer to God," explained Imam Shuaib Din "It is celebrating the fact that the Quran, our holy text, was revealed in this month of Ramadan."
During the month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset while also praying multiple times a day.
"It is a month of empathy, of reaching out to those who are less fortunate than you and provide their basic needs and necessities. So food comes first to help them break their fasts," said the Imam.
Iftar is the meal Muslims break their fasts with after sunset, and there are multiple gatherings scheduled in Utah to dine together as a community. Local mosques like the Utah Islamic Center hosts Iftar every night and are hosting an interfaith Ramadan dinner on March 24.
"We recite one part of the Quran every day, and the Quran is divided into 30 equal parts, so you get done with the recitation of the whole entire !uran from cover-to-cover in this month of Ramadan if you were to attend the nightly prayers," Shuaib Din said.
The current Ramadan does feel different in light of the war in Gaza.
"It's very difficult because the people in Gaza, they are fasting, just like us,
said Shuaib Din. "But we can't even begin to imagine how they are going to break their fast, what they are going to break their fast with. They are going through hunger on the brink of starvation."
