A feast for the faithful when the sun goes down
Palmerston North mosque, 81 Cook St, Friday, 5.30pm
They gathered to feast on lamb shanks, rice, chicken drumsticks, salads and Middle Eastern sweets. Muslims from across the Manawatu region converged on a popular Palmerston North mosque on Friday night for the last of the day’s prayers and the breaking of the fast for Ramadan.
As the sun set, around 300 men, women and children answered the call to prayer at the Cook St mosque, before taking a light snack of dates and beginning their evening worship.
Manawatu Muslim Association president Zulfiqar Butt said Ramadan was a special month for the Muslim community.
‘‘It’s about caring for everyone, it’s about sacrifice, it’s praying together.
‘‘It’s a special month for the Muslims all over the world.’’
Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and runs for the duration of the lunar month.
During that time, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset.
Because the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan shift by approximately 11 days each year.
This fasting between dawn and dusk is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam.
It’s meant to serve as a reminder to all Muslims about the poor, homeless and refugees who suffer year-round.
The Palmerston North mosque’s Friday night feast was provided by a mosque committee member who owns a local restaurant, Butt said.
It’s important to offer a big feast so that those less well off can be included without embarrassment.
‘‘Everybody should feel welcomed.’’
According to the 2013 census, more than 46,000 New Zealanders are Muslim.