NEICC NEW YORK RAMADAN ACTIVITIES

 

North East Islamic Community Center and Turkish Cultural Center in New York, organized several Ramadan events with different diversity communities.

Muslims around the world see the holy month of Ramadan as a time to reconnect with God and their spiritual sides.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast. During the blessed month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. As a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking. Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, stay away from bad habits — essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings.

Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint; a time to cleanse the body and soul from impurities and re-focus one’s self on the worship of God. Ramadan is a period of fasting, reflection, devotion, generosity and sacrifice observed by Muslims around the world. The word “Ramadan” comes from the Arabic root word for “parched thirst” and “sun-baked ground.” It is expressive of the hunger and thirst felt by those who spend the month in fasting. As opposed to other holidays, when people often indulge, Ramadan is by nature a time of sacrifice.

Prayer

O God, we thank you for the countless blessings that you have bestowed upon us.Especially, for friends whom we are sharing our food today.

O God, you have prescribed fasting to us so that we should realize the value of your blessings, to teach us patience, to accept our weakness and need to you, to discipline our evil soul with hunger, to experience hunger to understand hungry. Now, we have better understanding of those who are suffering with hunger in Africa and all over the world. Do not test us with hunger. Help us to become your embodiment of your mercy to those who need it.

Dear God, bless those who are in need of your blessing as we are blessed today.

God of mercy, we have fasted to seek your pleasure, we believe in you, we have entrusted ourselves to you, and now we are breaking our fast with your food .

Forgive our past and future sins.

Show us the real blessings in afterlife that you let us taste the samples today.

Please do not let us go astray in this life and afterlife.

Amen