ALLAHABAD, INDIA (AFP) - The largest religious gathering anywhere on earth gets underway Tuesday (Jan 15), with tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims congregating in India to bathe in sacred rivers for the Kumbh Mela. Organisers are expecting the enormous spiritual festival in Allahabad to attract more than 100 million devotees over the next 48 days, with seas of pilgrims camped by the riverside. The ancient city in northern Uttar Pradesh state rises alongside the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. The confluence of the three - known as Sangam - is considered especially holy and Hindus believe bathing there during the Kumbh helps cleanse sins and brings salvation. "This pilgrimage gives me peace of mind and an opportunity to reflect on my life," said Sangeeta Gangotri, a pilgrim who travelled 650km from Nagpur in western Maharashtra state to Allahabad. The riverbank has transformed into a riot of noise and colour. Naked, dread-locked holy men smeared in ash and … [Read more...] about Millions in India gather for world’s largest religious event of Kumbh Mela
Religious rituals of islam
Countering the rise of radicalism in private Islamic schools in Indonesia
A series of terrorist acts has rocked Indonesia in the past week. Starting from a clash in a detention centre at the Police Mobile Brigade headquarters in Depok, West Java, last week, attackers then bombed three churches in Surabaya, East Java, last Sunday, followed by another terrorist bombing at Surabaya Police Headquarters. Dozens were killed and wounded. In response, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reiterated the government’s commitment to exterminate terrorism down to its roots. We must appreciate Jokowi’s statement. However, terrorism is a complex issue because there is no single factor that can explain why a person becomes a terrorist. The importance of schools to prevent radicalism One of the strategies that the government can use to stop terrorism in Indonesia is to take preventive steps using educational institutions to promote tolerance, which can eventually stop the spread of radical thoughts. But what is happening in Indonesia is the opposite. … [Read more...] about Countering the rise of radicalism in private Islamic schools in Indonesia
The challenge of observing Ramadan in Edmonton, where the fasting day is 19 hours long
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By Kashmala Fida StarMetro Edmonton Wed., May 16, 2018 EDMONTON—Muslims across the world began the ninth month of the Islamic calender, Ramadan, on Wednesday, by refraining from bad habits and eating and drinking during daylight hours. Muslims keep the fast by having a pre-dawn meal called suhoor or sehri, then nothing until sundown where they break their fast, called iftar, to build empathy towards the poor and hungry while fulfilling one of the pillars of Islam. But depending on where you are in the world, this can lead to some challenges. Muslims follow the lunar calender, so the dates vary from year to year. This time, Ramadan has arrived during some of the longest daylight hours of the year. That means on Wednesday, Muslims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia — the birthplace of Islam — had to avoid food and drink for 14 hours. In Toronto, fasting lasts 16 hours. Article Continued Below But Muslims living in further north take the cake (but … [Read more...] about The challenge of observing Ramadan in Edmonton, where the fasting day is 19 hours long
Cleanliness in Islam
TO the Malay-speaking Muslims in Malaysia, cuci generally means to clean with water and/or any other cleaning agents, while suci means being spiritually clean or pure. To attain a state of suci especially for solat or prayer and worship, Muslims undergo the obligatory ritual of cleansing using water and/ or special materials, often accompanied by a special incantation. These rituals are important in both the physical and spiritual aspects of cleanliness in Islam. While most societies consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam makes it an indispensable fundamental of the faith and a mandatory requirement. On the physical side, Islam requires Muslims to clean their body, clothes, house, food and the whole physical environment. Spiritually, a Muslim is required to be clean morally and ethically. In the Qur'an and Sunnah, believers are constantly urged to purify their entire way of life and strive towards a state of cleanliness with injunctions such as the following: > Allah … [Read more...] about Cleanliness in Islam
In Year of the Dog, Malaysia plays down, skirts dog decorations
KUALA LUMPUR – Some Malaysian businesses are skirting around or playing down the portrayal of canines in Chinese New Year decorations this year, wary of offending the country’s Muslim majority in the Year of the Dog.Dogs are considered “unclean” under Islamic tradition and Muslims are required to carry out a ritual of washing themselves if they are in contact with the animal.Multicultural Malaysia has seen an increasing intolerance toward activities considered insulting to Islam, reflected in protests in recent years of beer festivals and concerts.While Muslim Malays are the biggest ethnic group among Malaysia’s 32 million people, Chinese make up the second-biggest group with 23 percent of the population.One shopping mall in the popular Kuala Lumpur tourist area of Bukit Bintang did not depict dogs in its decorations ahead of the new year in February, focusing instead on the 10th anniversary theme of the center, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.Director of Marketing … [Read more...] about In Year of the Dog, Malaysia plays down, skirts dog decorations