Muslims Mark End of Ramadan

An estimated 3,500 Muslims gathered Sunday at the Cal State Northridge campus before sunrise to mark Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

In Islam, Ramadan celebrates the first time the Prophet Muhammad received a divine revelation. That was in the year 611, adherents believe, 23 years before Muhammad dictated the Islamic holy book, the Koran.

Each day of Ramadan--which began this year on Jan. 10 and is the most sacred month on the Islamic calendar--Muslims fast from 90 minutes before sunrise until the sun has set.

The fasting includes abstention from drink and sex as well. The practice is believed to teach self-discipline and bring one closer to God.

“It is the ultimate form of spiritual purification,” said Mahmood Qureshi, an officer with the Islamic Center of Northridge. “It is a form of retreat without actually retreating into some corner.”

Eid al-Fitr, said Qureshi, is “an expression of gratitude to Allah for giving us the strength and ability to fast during the month of Ramadan. It’s a very joyful occasion for us.”

Men, women and children participated in the ceremony on the lawn outside Oviatt Library, with the men and women separated. Children were permitted to be with either group.

After the prayers, many of participants followed the tradition of visiting one another in their homes. “We have some good food, children wear nice clothes and have some toys and joy,” Qureshi said.

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Qureshi estimates that there are more than 10,000 Muslims in the San Fernando Valley. There are about 1 million Muslims in California, the majority in Southern California, said Shabbir Mansuri, founding director of the Council on Islamic Education in Fountain Valley.

The celebration at CSUN was one of several held across the Southland on Sunday. There were large ceremonies in Pomona at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds and at the Los Angeles Convention Center, as well as mosques throughout the state, officials said.

In Orange County, about 10,000 Muslims gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center to mark the occasion.