Ramadan in America is a myriad of experiences, whether for converts, immigrants or first-generation Muslims born stateside.
However, two American-based Muslims said finding their own way during the holy month is important, not only to establishing meaningful rituals and traditions during this time, but also to experiencing Ramadan for the spiritually significant time it is.
Russell Hergesheimer from Houston, Texas, has been a practicing Muslim for nearly twenty years. During that time, he’s had to cultivate his own way of celebrating during the fasting month, lest he misses its importance.
“For me, I fast during the day, obviously, then I come home, read Qur’an and then one or two days out of the week I do iftar at the mosque,” Hergesheimer told AboutIslam.net.
“But it wasn’t until I got more involved in the (Muslim) community that I began to understand more about the holiday and the festive time it really is.”
At the beginning of his practice, he didn’t even know what suhoor was or that it was even a thing. He said he wasn’t made aware of the pre-sunrise meal until he began delving deeper into the Qur’an and talking with other Muslims.
Hergesheimer is adamant this isn’t other new practitioners’ experience. To ensure it’s not, he and a group of other men will watch out for new converts at the mosque, introduce themselves, engage with them and make sure to invite them to gatherings, iftar dinners or otherwise initiate friendship.
In his experience, born Muslims, particularly those from outside the United States, are woefully lacking in this area.
“When a person makes Shahada there’s lots of ‘Mashallahs” and high fives and everyone is so happy but then that’s it,” he said.
“What’s important is that veteran Muslims take them under their wings and invite them to people’s homes or to the mosque during Ramadan because usually those people don’t have any family that’s Muslim and they don’t understand the significance of the month.”
