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.”
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