Cultural Crossroads : Muslims Mark Ramadan’s Close as Christians Prepare for Lent

As thousands of Muslims in the San Fernando Valley celebrated the end of the annual Islamic month of daytime fasting Tuesday, tens of thousands of Catholics and Protestants readied themselves to observe Ash Wednesday today--beginning a longer, though less demanding, period of spiritual self-discipline.

Both Islam’s Ramadan and Christianity’s Lent are periods marked by prayerful study and reflection, abstinence from customary pleasures and generous giving.

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Monday was the last day of Ramadan, but it may have seemed at 7 a.m. Tuesday that Valley-area Muslims were having their religious mettle tested one day more. The traditional mass prayers on a soggy lawn at Cal State Northridge drew about 1,500 worshipers despite the rain.

Two open-sided tents were set up in front of the Oviatt Library--one for men, one for women. Removing footwear for prayers, they stood and knelt on mostly wet plastic sheeting that substituted for prayer rugs.

“You have been fasting for 29 days; bear with us for another 15 minutes,” urged Ahmed El-Gabalawy, who led prayers and gave a sermon emphasizing religious leadership by personal example. “How much love for Allah [God] do you have in your heart and how much is put into action?”

Observant Muslims refrain from smoking, sex, eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan, with some exceptions for the sick, pregnant women and the very old or young.

A steady rain did not dampen spirits as the Muslims ended Ramadan and began the three-day Eid al-Fitr (“festival of breaking the fast”). Greetings of Eid mubarak (“blessed Eid”) were exchanged following the service.

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“It’s great to be here,” said Syed Hussaini of Simi Valley, whose wife, twin boys and daughter also came for the prayers. “We’ve been coming here for the last seven or eight years.” Valley-area Muslims also had the choice Tuesday to go to the Los Angeles Convention Center, where the Islamic Center of Southern California organized an indoor prayer ceremony.

Next year, leaders of the Islamic Center of Northridge expect their own new mosque to be completed in time for Eid prayers. Masood Rama, president of the center, told the crowd Tuesday that the $2-million facility in Granada Hills is now about 80% complete.

“If we raise another $250,000 soon, I promise you we will be in operation there in the next four to five months,” Rama said.

That funds appeal was in addition to the “poor tax” of $5 to $10 asked of each worshiper to provide funds for the needy.

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Although Episcopal parishes and some Lutheran and United Methodist churches will also hold Ash Wednesday services today, the rites launching Lent are a major annual occasion in the Catholic church. Ceremonies will be held during early and late services at Catholic parishes, where crosses will be smudged on the foreheads of participants with ashes, and fasting and abstinence will be encouraged.

“In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, we are asking Catholics to observe every Friday in Lent as a meatless Friday,” said Auxiliary Bishop Armando X. Ochoa of Mission Hills, who heads the San Fernando Pastoral Region of the archdiocese. The practice--once a requirement for Catholics yearlong--has been optional in recent years, he said.

Catholics are also encouraged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (April 5), which the church interprets as eating the equivalent of two meals instead of three on those days.

The nearly six-week Lenten period that culminates at Easter--April 7 this year for Catholics and Protestants, and April 14 for Eastern Orthodox churches--teaches self-denial, penance and charity.

Second-graders at St. Genevieve Elementary School in Panorama City summed it up well Tuesday morning under the questioning of Msgr. Charles Hill, the pastor.

“Penance is making up for your sins,” one youngster said.

“Lent is doing good deeds--like not watching TV,” another said.

“Well,” replied the pastor, “not watching some TV might be a good deed.”

Hill told the class that prayer, fasting and alms-giving to the poor were three key activities during Lent. “The second collection on Sunday will go to the poor,” he said.

The priest invited Philip Doyle, 7, to the front of the classroom to put his finger into a small bowl holding Ash Wednesday ashes to be used in parish rites today.

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“This cup of ashes will last for 6,000 to 7,000 people, and there will be some left over,” said Hill, who said a private company produces the finely ground ashes from palm fronds burned after being used last year in observances of Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter.

At the priest’s invitation, the pupil marked a cross on Hill’s forehead and Hill did the same with the boy.

“Why do we use ashes?” the priest asked.

Hill said the practice had roots in Hebrew Scripture in which those who sinned were “to do penance by putting on ashes and wearing old, dirty clothes.”

“Eeeewww,” grimaced a girl in a back row.

“It’s a sign of repentance,” the pastor said.