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Ramadan (Holidays and Celebrations) PDF

96 Pages·2009·8.01 MB·english
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HHoolliiddaayyss CCeelleebbrraattiioonnss aanndd ramadan Holidays and CElEbrations Carnival Christmas and Hanukkah Easter, Passover, and Other Spring Festivals Halloween and Commemorations of the Dead r a m adan Independence Days Lent, Yom Kippur, and Other Atonement Days Ramadan Religious New Year’s Celebrations Thanksgiving and Other Harvest Festivals Western and Chinese New Year’s Celebrations HHoolliiddaayyss CCeelleebbrraattiioonnss aanndd r a m adan Amy Hackney Blackwell Ramadan Copyright ©2009 by Infobase Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Chelsea House An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York, NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hackney Blackwell, Amy. Ramadan / Amy Hackney Blackwell. p. cm.—(Holidays and celebrations) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60413-098-0 1. Ramadan—Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series. BP186.4.H33 2009 297.3’62—dc22 2008051186 Chelsea House books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Chelsea House on the World Wide Web at http://www.chelseahouse.com Produced by Print Matters, Inc. Text design by A Good Thing, Inc. Cover design by Alicia Post Printed in the China CP PMI 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. All links and Web addresses were checked and verified to be correct at the time of publication. Because of the dynamic nature of the Web, some addresses and links may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. Contents b Introduction to Holidays and Celebrations....................................vi INTRODUCTION Origins of Ramadan ........................................................................3 Observing Ramadan .....................................................................10 REGIONAL TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS Africa .............................................................................................24 Asia ................................................................................................36 Europe ...........................................................................................46 Middle East ...................................................................................57 North America .............................................................................. 74 Oceania .........................................................................................82 Glossary ........................................................................................85 Bibliography ..................................................................................87 Further Resources .........................................................................88 Picture Credits ..............................................................................90 Index .............................................................................................91 About the Author ..........................................................................96 12341234123412341234123 12341234123412341234123 Introduction to Holidays and Celebrations Holidays mark time. They occupy a space outside of ordinary events and give shape and meaning to our everyday existence. They also remind us of the passage of time as we refl ect on Christmases, Passovers, or Ramadans past. Throughout human history, nations and peoples have marked their calendars with special days to celebrate, commemorate, and memorial- ize. We set aside times to refl ect on the past and future, to rest and renew physically and spiritually, and to simply have fun. In English we call these extraordinary moments “holidays,” a contrac- tion of the term “holy day.” Sometimes holidays are truly holy days—the Sabbath, Easter, or Eid al-Fitr, for example—but they can also be nonreli- gious occasions that serve political purposes, address the social needs of communities and individuals, or focus on regional customs and games. This series explores the meanings and celebrations of holidays across religions and cultures around the world. It groups the holidays into vol- umes according to theme (such as Lent, Yom Kippur, and Other Atonement Days; Thanksgiving and Other Harvest Festivals; Independence Days; Easter, Passover, and Other Spring Festivals; Western and Chinese New Year’s Celebrations; Religious New Year’s Celebrations; Carnival; Ramadan; and Halloween and Commemorations of the Dead) or by their common human experience due to their closeness on the calendar (such as Christmas and Hanukkah). Each volume is divided into two sections—the fi rst introduces readers to the origins, history, and common practices associated with the holidays; and the second section takes the reader on a worldwide tour that shows the regional variations and distinctive celebrations within specifi c countries The reader will learn how these holidays started, what they mean to the people who celebrate them, and how different cultures celebrate them. These volumes have an international focus, and thus readers will be able to learn about diversity both at home and throughout the world. We can learn a great deal about a people or nation by the holidays they celebrate. We can also learn from holidays how cultures and religions have interacted and mingled over time. We see in celebrations not just the past through tradition, but the principles and traits that people embrace and value today. :vi Ramadan 12341234123412341234123 12341234123412341234123 The Chelsea House Holidays and Celebrations series surveys this rich and varied festive terrain. Its 10 volumes show the distinct ways that peo- ple all over the world infuse ordinary life with meaning, purpose, or joy. The series cannot be all-inclusive or the last word on so vast a subject, but it offers a vital fi rst step for those eager to learn more about the diverse, fascinating, and vibrant cultures of the world, through the festivity that gives expression, order, and meaning to their lives. Introduction to Holidays and Celebrations vii; Muslims select traditional dishes at a Ramadan bazaar in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the holy month of Ramadan. :viii Ramadan Introduction a a a

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