Like millions of Muslims across the world, Glasgow Muslims celebrate Ramadan on their own way through several activities that have been promoting the holy fasting month for years in Scotland.
Share It :
“There is a lot of awareness of Ramadan in Glasgow through media and integration with local people, so everybody knows about it,” Mohammed Ishaz, assistant Imam at Al’Furqan Mosque on Carrington Street, told the Daily Record on Wednesday, July 10.
“They respect that.”
For Ishaz, observing Ramadan in Glasgow is different from being in a Muslim country like Saudi or Pakistan.
“The long days in Glasgow make it harder to fast here. But in Pakistan it is very hot, so you can’t live for long without water,” Ishaz explained.
“So here it is a long day but you don’t feel thirsty.
“It’s about the same level of difficulty.”
Promoting integration in the community throughout the holy month, Al’Furqan Mosque holds sessions and discussions with refreshments.
“Some people say, ‘We have been passing the mosque for 30 years, and we always wonder what goes on inside,” Haq Nawaz Ghani, an assistant at the mosque
“Rather than try to combat negativity, we thought, let’s do something positive.”
In Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, adult Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
The sick and those traveling are exempt from fasting especially if it poses health risks.
Around the globe, Muslims observe Ramadan with a set of traditional rituals including family gathering at iftar, religious lessons, special evening prayer and helping the poor.
Scotland is home to more than 500,000 Muslims, making up less than one percent of the population.
Muslims are the second largest religious group in the country, which has thirty mosques.
Radio Ramadan In Glasgow, Radio Ramadan offers a special flavor to the holy fasting month.
Taking an eight-hour plane journey to Glasgow, a Pakistani Muslim businessman travels every year in Ramadan to sing live on his show at Glasgow community station Radio Ramadan.
“I sing poems in Punjabi for my listeners,” the Pakistani Zafar Iz Balbabar, 49, said.
“I have a business so I don’t do it for money. I do it out of love. I do it for the community. I prefer to spend Ramadan in Pakistan but I learn from listening to other Radio Ramadan programs about religion.
“I enjoy being in this exciting place with so much happening,” the Pakistani textile factory owner added.
Founded in 1996, Radio Ramadan that airs during Ramadan only has more than 200 passionate volunteer.
“People phone in at the start of the month asking to get involved,” Mazhar Khan, coordinator at Radio Ramadan, said.
“They say, ‘I’ll sweep the floor, I’ll clean the toilet, I’ll do whatever just to get involved’.
“You get older people who have never presented in their lives, suddenly interacting with thousands of listeners.”
With more than 15,000 listeners a day locally, Radio Ramadan donations campaign could collect £125,000 within the last 10 days of Ramadan in 2013.
“We have 10 telephone lines. We’ve had people calling in from Malaysia and Iraq who are tuning in online because they want to enter a competition,” Khan said.
They feel they are doing something positive – that’s what draws people to Radio Ramadan.
“People are doing it voluntarily because it is something good, it gives you spiritual fulfillment,” Khan said.
“People miss it when it goes off air. They are in tears and say it is a shame you are gone.
