Ahmad Jahfar will be taking part in Ramadan
This Saturday evening, 2 April, marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a time for spiritual reflection, self-improvement and heightened devotion and worship for the Muslim community.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar and the holy month of fasting.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
CFA celebrates and supports Ramadan alongside all of its members.
Muslims all around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. In the northern hemisphere this is around 16 hours due to daylight saving; for Australia it’s a little shorter.
Fasting encourages compassion, renewed focus on spirituality, character building and social interaction for the Muslim community. Community members come together to break the fast at sundown, focusing on strengthening their bonds and encouraging social interaction.
Narre Warren firefighter Ahmad Jahfar spoke about his experience celebrating Ramadan and what it means to him.
“Ramadan really teaches you about empathy and understanding how people less fortunate than you live,” Ahmad said. “The month is really rewarding as you have the opportunity to reset and reflect.
“Everyone is fasting together; you all go through the same experience and the feeling of coming together to break fast is really humbling.”
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan says our rich diversity makes us who we are.
“CFA is a culturally diverse organisation, and we are proud to welcome members of many religions and cultures as volunteers,” he said.
“A pillar of Islamic faith is giving back to the community, and we appreciate that our Muslim members continue to volunteer while fasting.”
Ramadan finishes in the evening of Sunday 1 May. Find out more about Ramadan at the Islamic Council of Victoria.