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| Olde Tyme Religion |
| Ramadan starts Thursday for Lebanon's Shiite Muslims |
| 2007-09-08 |
| The spiritual leader of the Shiite Muslims in Lebanon, Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, has declared Thursday as starting day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Fadlallah, who has followers throughout the Shiite Muslim world, said on Friday that the date was chosen on the basis of astrological calculations in accordance with Islamic scientific rules. He said Ramadan will begin on September 13 “across the world, including in countries in the Far East.” In recent years, Fadlallah has announced the start and end of Ramadan in advance. In the past, the date was decided only based on actual sighting of the new moon -- a practice still followed by some Shiites as well as Lebanon’s Sunni Muslim community. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 Actually, I always thought that Ramadan is kind of perfect commentary on Islam as religion. To wit, when Islam was being invented, they've noticed that (i) Jews have a few fast days per year; and Christians have a few dozen [?]. So, Islam having to be more---and not really understanding the purpose of fasts, they decided on a month of fasting! However, its impossible for most people to fast for a month---so we have a typical Islamic compromise: they fast during the day and pig out every night. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-09-08 15:53 |
| #5 What, again!? |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-09-08 14:19 |
| #4 Wow, Ramadan again. It just kinda sneaks up on ya, don't it... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-09-08 13:55 |
| #3 I look forward to a world where Ramadan is a long forgotten tradition. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-09-08 13:27 |
| #2 By a strange coincidence, my annual Bacon Festival starts on the same day. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-09-08 10:35 |
| #1 hmmmm think I'll have pulled pork for lunch that day....and maybe a beer |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-09-08 08:30 |