Muslims search for Ramadan site

Noaki Schwartz

FAIRGROUNDS -- For Hussam Ayloush, the last day of Ramadan is as

important as the first in the monthlong Islamic fast. It is on this day

that he is joined by nearly 20,000 other followers who bring the holiday

to a close by praying together.

But, this year, instead of a united prayer toward Mecca, local Muslims

may be forced to pray in shifts.

Islamic leaders searching for a large venue to accommodate thousands of

worshipers expected for the final day of Ramadan may end up at the Orange

County Fairgrounds. And because it can hold only 8,000 people, followers

would have to worship at different times.

There are, in fact, only a few venues in the county that can take that

many people, and they are all booked, said Thomas L. Thorkelson of the

National Conference for Community and Justice. In the past, the group

used the Anaheim Convention Center or Long Beach Convention Center.

Community leaders are still hoping that Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport

Beach) or Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) will come through with permission

from the government to use either the closed El Toro or Tustin Marine

bases. But those hopes are fading.

“We’re not holding our hopes high because time is running out,” said

Hussam Ayloush of the Chapter Council on American-Islamic Relations.

At the end of Ramadan, the annual, monthlong Muslim purification holiday

when followers fast from dawn until dusk, Muslims try to pray together in

unity and not simply worship at home.

“They pray that they will be forgiven for the times when they haven’t met

the high moral and ethical standards,” Thorkelson said.

Another reason it’s been difficult to find a suitable venue is because

the date of the annual holiday is based on the lunar calendar and shifts

every year, making it difficult to plan ahead. This year, Ramadan will

end around Jan. 8.

The busy holiday season has also made it difficult to find available

venues, Ayloush said. Because of unpredictable winter weather, outdoor

sites are out.

The rules that govern the religion are strict and are emphasized during

the monthlong observation. Islam spreads across almost 50 different

ethnic groups around the world, from Indonesians to North Africans,

Ayloush said.

During Ramadan, adults and children about 13 and older are required to

fast all day. Followers eat breakfast at 4 a.m. and are not allowed any

food or liquids until dusk.

“It teaches self-restraint and self-control,” Ayloush said. “It teaches

compassion for others by choosing not to eat or drink, while there are

millions out there that don’t have a choice.”