Istanbul joins international 'open iftar' event to foster interfaith dialogue during Ramadan

An international project led by young students is setting up open 'iftars' - fast breaking meals - across several countries to foster interfaith dialogue during Ramadan.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, with the practice forming one of the five fundamentals or "pillars" of Islam.

SOURCE

President Bill Clinton Will Give a Eulogy for Muhammad Ali at Interfaith Service Friday

Former President Bill Clinton will be among those giving a eulogy for Muhammad Ali at an interfaith service Friday in the boxer's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, the family announced today.

In a speech in California today, Clinton reflected on watching Ali light the Olympic torch in Atlanta while his hands shook from Parkinson's Disease.

"Once the most graceful, powerful athlete in the world, with his hands shaking, holding on, he did his job," Clinton said. "And in the very end he was actually astonishingly good humored about the burden of his later years. So by the time he died, who he was as a person was greater than his legend."

SOURCE

A Quick Lesson About Ramadan, The Muslim Month Of Fasting

Ramadan is a month of fasting many Muslims observe to commemorate the first revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad according to Islamic history.

What are the dates of Ramadan?

Because the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan shift by approximately 11 days each year. In 2016, Ramadan is expected to begin on Monday, June 6, in the United States, although the date is only confirmed once the moon is sighted.

The ending of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month. On Eid ul-Fitr, morning prayers are followed by feasting and celebration among family and friends.

SOURCE