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Muslims Celebrate Ramadan
posted (May 24, 2018)
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar and is observed by Muslims all over the world as a month of fasting. The year it is being observed from May 14th to June 14th and in Belize, Muslims are proudly and devoutly honouring the revered tradition. We found out more from the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Belize Naveed Mangla.

Naveed Mangla, President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
"Once a year for one month are expected to fast. It is mandatory for every Muslim that is able to. For those that can't, they can feed another person. The Holy Quran says that it is mandatory upon you as it was for those that were before you meaning that it accepts that there has been fasting in other religions as well. We believe that fasting has been there is shapes and forms in every religion besides Islam. The whole reasoning behind fasting is that you become righteous. Now the question is how do you become righteous through fasting. First of all, it teaches you how to become humble. In Belize, we stop eating in the morning around 4:30 and we eat again at 6:30 in the evening. That is fourteen hours or so. When you finally have food you realize that there are actually people in the world that don't have what you are having right now. There are some people that actually have to live like that. You still have the capacity to have food right now but there is actually people that can't afford what you are going to have right now. You become grateful to God because there are actually people that don't have these basic necessities in life."

Mangla says at the Ahmadiyya Community in Belize City over 150 people are participating in the Ramadan.

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