ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

243 Ramadan, a month in the Muslim lunar calendar, is considered the most sacred period for Muslims, a month in which tho- se who profess and practice that religion purify their feelings with fasting (from dawn to dusk) and with a benevolent ap- proach to the next; this year falls betwe- en August and September, ends with the feast 'id al-saghir' (the little one) unlike 'id al-akbar' (the big one) the greatest solem- nity of Islam, at the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Ramadan is par excellence the month of prayer, during which a greater blessing is required for oneself and one's loved ones, in function of a personal effort, which is the physical one, given by fasting, but also of questioning oneself and one's life choi- ces, of a search in some way for greater transcendence towards the Most High. In daily life the family and the community are put first, sharing the times of prayer, including that before dawn which is cer- tainly the most 'emotional and the impor- tant moment of Iftar', or at sunset, the moment when we thank God for giving us the strength to overcome ourselves and our natural attitude to eat and drink and we ask Him to humbly accept our little sa- crifice in exchange for a life serene, just, honest and a life after death illuminated by His eternal Light. "This is for me the meaning of this month dedicated to God, and fasting is only the outer detail, the basis necessary to achieve a much more important spiritual purpose. It would certainly be important for Muslim families living in our neighborhood to find some warmth within the Christian families of Milan two during this holy month. To this end, for the second ten days of Sep- tember, we propose that some families, Christian and Muslim, meet at the hour of the break of fasting (at dusk), to dine and share this moment. At the beginning of September, the details of the initiative will be given and the modalities of partici- pation will be indicated. Organized by the Team of Dialogue with Islam of the Parish "God the Father". Durante il Ramadan, l'ultimo pasto va pre- so prima dell'inizio dell'alba (Keystone). Le Jeune, facteur d’union entre mu- sulmans et chrétiens Le jeùne du Ramadan rappelle aux musul- mans l’existence de Dieu . Les différentes manifestations populaires et les interven- tions des leaders religieux à la television aident les fidèles à se rapprocher de Dieu. Le jeune accompagne d’un exercice spiri- tuel incitent les fideles à comprendre les gestes exterieurs de la religion ; chacun fait son examen de conscience et prend en pleine liberte ses decisions pour ame- liorer son genre de vie. Cette atmosphere englobe tout les egyptiens, musulmans et chrétiens, personne n’y échappe, pour le grand bien de l’union entre tous les ci- toyens. Le tout culminera à la fete du eid el fitr à la grande joie de tout le pays. Bientòt débutera le jeune de quarante jours des chretiens, selon des modali- tés diférentes du ramadan, mais ayant quand meme le meme but: rapprocher les fideles a Dieu à travers le jeune ac- compagné de sacrifices et des renon- cements offerts en toute liberté. Une période qui culmine avec la célébration de la fete de la Resurection. Pour tous les chretiens, et principalement pour ceux qui habitent loin de leurs centres religieux et donc sans un soutien spiri- tuel adequat, il serait utile de recevoir à travers les medias et principalement la télévision , un service religieux similai- re à celui fourni aux musulmans. Ainsi les liens d’union entre tous les citoyens égyptiens, musulmans et chrétiens sont ressérés à travers le jeune.

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