All - 278 days down, 155 to go! The deployment continues to fly by and what a cultural experience it has been!! I really miss the Family more than words can express. As the transition from Coalition Force control to Iraqi Government (GoI) control continues, flexibility remains key. Since the New US Embassy Complex (NEC) opened a few weeks ago (largest US Embassy in the World), my unit was forced to relocate our living quarters from behind the Presidental Palace (previously used as the US Embassy) to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Prosperity within the International Zone. Of course FOB Prosperity doesn't have all the free emenities that the Dept of State (DOS) provided at the old Embassy (swimming pool, refigerator, TV & DVD Player, Phone, Internet); however, the housing rules on FOB Prosperity (based on rank) provide me with my own Containerized Housing Unit (CHU) which has now doubled my square footage. The real down side was that I had to go out and get the creature comforts that even at war we all look for (TV, DVD player, Internet Service, and Cable)! The real bummer will be later this week when we lose our DOS MCI Cell Phones; I've transitioned to Skype & bought a headset that seems to work pretty well. Additionally, if anyone needs to get a hold of me, I just found out that my office phone actually has a US Washington DC phone number (703-343-7609) that anyone can call me on. It's right at my desk, so if you call between 0700-2400 you should be able to get me (remember we are GMT+3 in Baghdad).
In my position, I continue to get out and see many interesting sights and experience some once in a lifetime' situations. Recently, I was able to assist in a case of a kidnapped six year old girl; she had been held forthree weeks when she was finally returned to her parents. Child abduction continues to be a problem here as individuals look to extort large sums of cash from inflentual Family members within the Iraqi Government. The good news is that child abduction is punishable by death, and hopefully the follow-up Iraqi investigation that the Iraqi General from our office is leading will roll-up all parties involved.
We have just entered one of their most religious periods, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar-that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays “move” each year. In 2008 Ramadan begins at sundown on Sept. 1. Being embedded in an Iraqi Headquarters, I'm trying to observe their practices (not as easy as one might think). Here is a little cultural information about Ramadan:
For more than a billion Muslims around the world-including some 8 million in North America-Ramadan is a “month of blessing” marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. This year Ramadan precedes Christmas and Hanukkah. But while in many places these holidays have become widely commercialized, Ramadan retains its focus on self-sacrifice and devotion to Allah (God).
The first day of Ramadan (fasting) in North America according to sighting, is expected to be September 02. However, according to Saudi Ummul-Qura calendar, Fiqh Council of North America, and European Council for Fatwa and Research, the first day of Ramadan is on Monday, September 01, 2008.
Ramadan concludes with a 3-day festival known as "Eid" or "Eid ul-Fitr," which literally means "the feast of the breaking/to break the fast." The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and is a culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state. -
1st Ramadan (Fasting Begins) September 01, 2008 * -
Lailatul-Qadr (Night of Power) September 26, 2008 -
Eid-al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) October 01, 2008.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset, and millions of non-Muslim expatriates in the region adapt to the pace of the fasting month, during which working hours are reduced in both the public and private sectors. Ramadan also witnesses a multiplication of charitable initiatives by both government outfits such as local Red Crescent societies and wealthy individuals and private companies. Charity goes beyond national borders, with both government and private institutions distributing meals and making other donations to the needy not just at home but also in other Muslim countries. Gulf governments enjoying windfalls from high crude prices and high-profile companies are keen to be seen to be sharing some of their wealth with the less fortunate. Many sponsor free fast-breaking meals — or iftar — for the poor.
The Meaning of Ramadan: Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims.
The third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam (submission in English), fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God. Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Quran, giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing good deeds. For Muslims (Submitters), Ramadan is an opportunity to gain by giving up, to prosper by going without and to grow stronger by enduring weakness.
As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fasting is also beneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence.
Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان, Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Angel Gabriel which later was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (sawm), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer even more prayer than usual. In Ramadan Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance into the future, ask for help in refraint from everyday evils and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.
Events of Ramadan Laylat al-Qadr (Arabic: لیلة القدر) (known as Shab-e Qadr in Persian), literally the "Night of Decrees" or "Night of Measures", is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan.[citation needed] Muslims believe that it was the night of the Laylat al-Qadr that the Quran was revealed. The exact night of the Laylat al-Qadr is only known to God. It has been told to Prophet Muhammed one night, but on his way out to deliver the news he was disturbed by two Muslims' argument and that resulted in him forgetting the exact date of the night. The date was not revealed only to encourage Muslims to pray and work hard on the last ten days and not only that night. That is why Muhammad indicated that it was on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan.
The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, as per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the Fast; a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (‘Zakat al-Fitr’), everyone puts on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two rakaahs only, and it is an optional prayer as opposed to the compulsory five daily prayers. According to one current school of thought (Ankaboot), it is suggested that North American Muslims arrange their work schedule for Eid by requesting the two most likely days of Eid as Holidays or simply as days off from work. This allows for quality family time, and is akin to the Christian/North American tradition of taking Christmas and Christmas Eve off as holidays. This also allows for time off to celebrate the Eid prayer at a mosque and with family. The fast always ends after 29 or 30 days of fasting, and thus the request would be for the 29th and 30th day after the start of the fast.
Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan that begins after Eid ul-Fitr; these days need not be consecutive.[1] According to hadith, one who fasts the month of Ramadan and six days during Shawwal will be rewarded as though he fasted the entire year.
Take care and I will try and figure out another cultural lesson as I wind down this deployment!
Cheers,
Mike
