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Each day, Rifat Muhammad wakes before 4 a.m. to make a meal for her three children and husband during the holy month of Ramadan.
The family must eat before sunrise, knowing they won't have food or water again until after sunset at about 8:15 p.m.
"Ramadan teaches us self-sacrifice and patience," she said. "It reminds us there are people throughout the world who go without food all day, and don't have a meal to eat in the evening."
Each night, her children, ages 14, 7 and 5, gather at the table with their parents for iftar, the breaking of the fast, though the two youngest are not required to fast throughout the day. The family eats a date, as the Prophet Muhammad did when he broke his fast, and drinks water. They then hold an extended fifth daily prayer, when a portion of the Quran is recited from memory, completing the entire scripture by the month's end. Then, finally, they have a meal together.
Saturday night, they joined with more than 800 Muslims and non-Muslims to share a community iftar at Khadeeja Islamic Center in West Valley City, hosted by the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake.
"We pick one day where we invite Muslims from all the mosques in the valley to gather and exchange greetings," said Iqbal Hossein, president of the society. "America is a diverse nation, and we want to be part of that diverse fabric. We felt the need to let people know we are very much part of this American fabric."
Men and
After prayers, they came outside to partake of traditional Pakistani food such as lamb curries and basmati rice, made by the men of the congregation, and pakoras -- stuffed, fried appetizers -- and baklava made by the women.
During Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from not only eating and drinking but adult relations, back-biting, cheating, gambling "or anything else that demeans ourselves or others," said Muhammed Mehtar, imam for the society.
"It is much easier to pray five times a day when fasting," Mehtar said. "The fact that we are fasting means we are inclined to do more good during this month."
Saturday, about a dozen men sat down in chairs in a tent to share their meal at a table with Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, who attended his first iftar.
"It's an honor to have been invited not only to share the spiritual nature of the service but also to break bread with friends," Corroon said. "One of the reasons I came was to better understand the Muslim community and the Islamic faith. Whether you're an elected official or just a citizen, it's important to understand who our neighbors are."
The Utah Islamic Center in Sandy will host a community meal to break the Ramadan fast on Thursday. The center is located at 235 W. 9000 South.
