“A Beautiful Month”: Muslims Prepare for End of the Great Fast of Ramadan

Charlene Muhammad | California Black Media (CBM) – On the night of March 10, 2024, Ramadan began for some two billion believers across the Muslim world. The Islamic Holy Month is a time of spiritual renewal for all participants, including many who do not identify as Muslim. Each year, an increasing number of individuals beyond the Muslim world embark on the journey of fasting during this sacred time.  In California, where an estimated half a million Muslims live, accounting for about 1.3% of the state’s population, the faithful are gathering daily for prayers at the 246 mosques located across the Golden State. This month of Ramadan benefits every human being, regardless of their belief, said Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad of the Nation of Islam during his March 24 address livestreamed from Mosque Maryam in Chicago. “Did you know that fasting and prayer can help us hear God more clearly?& Did you know that the principle and practice of prayer and fasting can help us make better choices,” Muhammad added.& On Tuesday, April 9, the holy month of fasting will come to an end. Prayer, fasting and reflecting on Allah (God) gives one the power of discernment, he said.& In addition,...