A u g u s t 24, 2011
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
$Iorthuth (Dbsrrtier
Page 13
MET RO
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
Portland during Ramadan
Muslim community
comes together
for holiest month
bv M indy C ooper
T he P ortland O bserver
The inside of the Muslim Community
Center on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard doesn’t match the plain exterior of
the building, where, once inside, members of
the com m unity vibrantly decorate the
center’s mosque, read prayers from the
Qur an and enjoy each other's company
during their holiest month of the year.
For nearly one billion Muslims across the
world, the holy spiritual days of Ramadan is
considered a time for personal and spiritual
growth, when you abstain from food, drink,
and other physical needs during the hours of
daylight to purify self and re-focus attention
towards God.
“It’s a blessing and a mercy for us,” said
Omar Shbaz. “Each Ramadan brings you a
different experience and challenge.”
Ramadan, which is based on the Islamic
lunar calendar, began on Aug. 1 this year.
Lavada Marion Poole-Dawan’s dark skin
was dressed in a long gown and hair covered
when I first met her at the center, a local
landmark for 30 years.
As someone who has been part of the
northeast Portland Muslim community for
almost 25 years, she welcomed me into the
women’s reception area, where Arabic art
rests on the walls. She offered me a head
covering to wear while visiting the building,
and then began our conversation with a
prayer.
photo by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
According to Poole-Dawan, the Qur’an is
During Ramadan, Islam's holiest time o f the year, Lavada Marion Poole-Dawan
for all mankind. “It's for all of humanity,” she
spends her time inside Northeast Portland’s Muslim Community Center, where
said. “The human family.”
she has been a member for almost 2 5 years.
yut
was first revealed, she said. “What was given
came from the creator of the heavens and the
earth through the angel Gabriel to the heart
of the Mohammed the prophet.”
She said, for her, Ramadan is always glo
rious because of the way the community
comes together for the requirements of Is
lam.
“In the month of Ramadan we try to ac
complish reciting the entire Q ur’an,” she
said. “Every day we recite l/30th, and we are
blessed and favored to have with us those
who have memorized the Q ur’an.”
According to Ahmed Negawo, who has
lived in the city for seven years. Portland is
a wonderful place to be Muslim. “It’s a good
community,” he said. “Every night we eat
and we celebrate the break together. It’s a
family gathering.”
Within the Islamic tradition, a time for
prayer happens five times throughout the
day. Although during Ramadan there are
special traditions and practices each indi
vidual undergoes, Negawo said the prayers
happen all year long.
“During Ramadan you spend more time in
prayer, and it makes you stronger than ever
before,” he said. “It’s a time to purify your
self.”
Fasting for the month of Ramadan is one
of the five pillars of Islam, said Poole-Dawan.
She said, although often unrecognized,
mosques are present in almost every neigh
borhood throughout the city. “Tradition
ally,” she said, “we live around the mosques
so we can pray five times a day.”
Although the requirements of Ramadan,
including fasting, are often a challenge, the
month-long holiday is a spiritually reward
ing time, said Shbaz. “I approach each day
one day at a time,” he said. “I feel less inclined
ix u m u u u n
13 l l l v
continued
111U 11U 1 W 1 1C I I
U 1C
on page 22
Healthy Community Celebrated
The African American Health
Coalition on Saturday held a com
munity event to bring awareness to
the health disparities facing local
African Americans and to celebrate
a healthy future at the 9th annual
Wellness Walk, which began at
Dawson Park in north Portland.
Before the walk began, residents
who attended the event joined in an
exercise in the park, where there
was also food, music, dancing and
massage. All proceeds raised will
be given directly towards the physi
cal activity programs with the coa
lition, which is located at 2800 N.
Vancouver Ave.
Dawson Park in north
Portland is packed
with participants for
last Saturday's 9th
annual African
American Health
Coalition Wellness
Walk.
PHOTOBV
M ark W ashington /
T he P< > r t i . ani > O bserver