Times of Ahmad: USA: In hot weather, Muslims still fast for Ramadan

The Ahmadiyya community differs from other Muslim groups in that it believes that Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in India, who founded the community in 1889, was the Messiah. Some other Muslims do not consider the Ahmadiyya community to be Muslim because of this belief.

Muhammad Suleman
Member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Willingboro

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: PhillyBurbs.com |
By Peg Quann Staff writer | August 1, 2011

WILLINGBORO — In summer, when the weather is hot and the days are long, fasting for Ramadan can be harder for Muslims than when the holy month occurs at other times of the year.

Ramadan, which marks the month that Muslims believe the Quran, the holy book of Islam, was revealed to the prophet Muhammed, began Monday.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Willingboro say they will fast during daylight hours, pray frequently, and perform works of charity as they and millions of Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan.

The fasting will end with a large celebration on Eid ul-Fitr, a holiday at the conclusion of Ramadan on Aug. 30.

Muslims believe God told Muhammad that "Muslims should fast during the month of Ramadan" as well as do works of charity, explained Muhammad Suleman, a member of the board of directors of the Ahmadiyya community.

Suleman and Farooq Padder, president of the community's South Jersey chapter, agreed.

"It's said (Muhammad's) speed of giving was like the speed of the wind," Padder said.

The Ahmadiyya community, which has millions of members in 190 countries, established its mosque on Bridge Street almost 30 years ago. It now has about 90 to 100 families as members, Suleman said.

The Ahmadiyya community differs from other Muslim groups in that it believes that Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in India, who founded the community in 1889, was the Messiah. Some other Muslims do not consider the Ahmadiyya community to be Muslim because of this belief, he said.

Ahmad taught that "jihad is not permissible anymore," Padder said.

He said the community believes that rather than fight others, people should focus on "self-purification."

"As members of this community, we have always practiced peace and harmony (and) promoted interfaith dialogue and understanding," Padder said. "Not a single act of violence (has been) committed by any of our members anywhere in the world ... in the name of religion."

For its beliefs, the community sometimes has been persecuted, including recently in Lahore, Pakistan, where 90 members were killed while they prayed, Padder said.

The community is headed by Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who resides in England.

The community in the United States has launched a three-part campaign, starting with "Muslims for Peace."

"Muslims for Peace want to live in peace and harmony and to remove the misunderstanding that Islam is a religion of terror. Instead, we strongly believe that Islam teaches us peace and peace at every level," Padder said.

The second part of the campaign is "Muslims for Loyalty."

"We have to be loyal to our country where we live," Padder said.

And the third part is "Muslims for Life," which promotes the sanctity of life. As part of this campaign, the local chapter and other Ahmadiyya communities throughout the country are planning interfaith blood drives to collect 10,000 units of blood, Padder said.

In South Jersey, the community hopes to give 200 units to the American Red Cross. The blood drive at the mosque will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 10, in honor of the Sept. 11, 2001, memorial activities.

A native of Kashmir, Padder is a cardiac electrophysiologist at Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury, Gloucester County, and Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, where he helps patients with heart rhythm irregularities. He also is a professor at Drexel University's School of Medicine. He has garnered several pledges from people to contribute to the interfaith blood drive at the mosque and at Underwood on Sept. 8 and 29, respectively.

Leslie Pittman-Smith, a representative of the American Red Cross Blood Services, met with the mosque leaders Monday. She suggested that donors call for appointments to avoid several people coming at the same time.

To donate blood, call Suleman at 609-332-0700.

The mosque welcomes visitors to its Eid celebration and to weekend dinners Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the break of fasting during Ramadan. For more information, call Padder at 267-974-4197.