Muslims in Ottawa mark Ramadan
Muslims in Ottawa and around the world began fasting this week, marking the holy month of Ramadan.
Imam Luqman Ahmed led Friday prayer at the Baitun Naseer Mosque in Cumberland.
"Ramadan is basically the fasting in the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims," Imam Ahmed told CTV News Ottawa. "It’s one of the five fundamental, or the most basic practices in the religion of Islam."
Fasting for 30 days, Muslims will refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset.
"While Muslims are fasting, they concentrate more on worship of God, their connection with God, as well as connecting and serving fellow human beings."
Ahmed says charity is an important component of the month, “Because, as we ourselves are staying hungry, one of the aims of that is that we feel the hunger and the difficulties other people go through."
WHAT DOES RAMADAN MEAN TO YOU?
"It is a process to become a better person, and I think both spiritually and physically, I make all the efforts to come out as a better person at the end of Ramadan," says Selim Khan, who attended Friday prayers.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, the Baitun Naseer Mosque opens its doors to members, as well as inviting the entire community to gather, share a meal and attend programming.
"I enjoy it very much, my kids as well - joining the programs, listening to the commentary of the holy Quran and also breaking fast together with all the members of the community," Khan said.
"At the end of the day, when you sit around the table, with a food at the table you finally get to enjoy that food. You really feel how lucky you are to have it," says Samar Naveed.
"It’s a way to connect to everybody, and see how everybody is doing. It’s really a busy time of year for us; our Mosque is really full with people and it’s the best time, really," says Abdul Chaudhry, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama' at Ottawa East Local President.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the joyous Eid Al-Fitr Holiday, when children often receive gifts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.