Gearing up to break the fast

By Maarufu Mohamed

Muslims countrywide are expected to end their 30-day fast this weekend, wrapping up the holy month of Ramadhan, and ushering the Eid-Ul-Fitr festivities.

Mombasa Kadhi Sheikh Twalib Bwana said Eid ul Fitri prayers would be held on Friday or Saturday, after the sighting of the new moon.

He explained that the Acting Chief Kadhi of Kenya, Sheikh Sharif Al Muhdhar would formally announce the Eid prayers, after the sighting of the new moon.

"Islamic law states that the first and last days of fasting, during the holy month of Ramadhan, only commence after the new moon has been sighted, and officially announced by the overall Muslim leader," said Bwana.

Muslims women in Mombasa shopping for Eid celebration in a street in Mombasa. [PHOTO: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard]

He further said the Muslim Sighting Committee would converge in Mombasa from Thursday evening for the sighting of the new crescent.

Muslims are gearing up for the final ten days of fasting, known as the Night of Power, which culminate Eid prayers.

Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, encouraged Muslims to stay awake during the night and pray for blessings and forgiveness in the crucial last days.

Khalifa said Muslim scholars believe the first revelations of Islam and Mohamed’s prophethood, through the angel Gabriel, began in The Night of Power.

"This night, also known as Lailatul Qadir, is in celebration of the arrival of the Koran. It is one period of the year when Muslims have confidence that God will intercede," said Khalifa.

He explained that the Night of Power is described in the Koran as a month "which was better than a thousand months."

Khalifa said although there has been debate over when exactly the Night of Power occurs, there is strong evidence that it occurs during the last 10 days of Ramadan, specifically on odd-numbered nights.

Muslims in Kenya began observing the holy month of Ramadhan on August 12, after the new moon was sighted.

Ramadhan is the fifth pillar of Islam, after faith (Shahadah), prayer (Salah), charitable giving (Zakah), and the pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj).

God commands Muslims to fast for 30 days from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadhan, an annual event considered the holiest of the four Islamic holy months.

During Ramadhan, all physically mature and healthy Muslims abstain from food, drink, gum, tobacco and sexual between dawn and sunset.

Khalifa said the spiritual aspects of the fast include refraining from gossip, lying, slander and avoiding all bad behaviour.

Worldly activities

"The Koran also warns us to avoid obscene and secular indulging while fasting; the heart should be directed away from worldly activities, and place it towards the divine," Khalifa explained.

At the end of the week, Muslims will converge in various open-grounds to offer the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers, marking the end of the fast, and ushering the week-long Eid festivities.

Mombasa has experienced booming business as Muslims faithful embarked on Eid shopping.

The cost of food and other commodities has risen dramatically, prompting Khalifa and other Muslim leaders to call on the Government to intervene.

Last week, President Kibaki rejected a Bill that would have re-introduced price controls in the country.

The Bill, sponsored by Mathira MP Ephraim Maina was criticised by industrialists as populist and likely to contract, rather than grow, the economy, as investors who failed to break even would simply close shop.