Guests of the Sheik
Of all the knowledge that can be obtained from reading this book, Ramadan was the one that could be said to be most interesting. Most Americans by at least age sixteen should have heard of Ramadan before and that it is known as the Islamic month of fasting. Not too many Americans have ever witnessed an "average" day during Ramadan due to the fact that Christianity, which happens to be arguably the world's largest religion (5, 1995), is extremely dominant in the United States. Therefore, education on Ramadan is often neglected in grade and secondary school for other topics like Christmas and Thanksgiving. In 1956, Elizabeth Fernea in "Guests of the Sheik" not only gets to witness this holy month, but experience it in the fullest as well. This paper will discuss the history of Ramadan and how it is viewed through the eyes Elizabeth, an American woman, experiencing this holy month. Ramadan is derived from the Arabic root word ramida or arramad intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. From the same root there is ramada, sun-baked sand, and the famous proverb: "Kal Mustajeer minar Ramadaa binnar" - to jump out of the frying pan into the fire (1, 1996). Thus, Ramadan is called to indicate the heating sensation in t
It is a time of worship and reflection. In July or August when the burning heat of summer comes, it was stated that it is a great hardship on the farmers (fellahin) who must work in the fields all day without food and water. When Ramadan came around every year, you got the understanding that just about every second of the day was planned out to the exact minute and how everything should be done. It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. The night Elizabeth and Bob received the news that Ramadan had begun, it was a rocky night, to say the least. " Elizabeth went to this country/village with her husband with an open mind and heart, and kept it open to be filled with new experiences, people, and places. Islamic feasts are calculated by the lunar calendar, so Ramadan falls during a different time each year. A story was being retold of the killing and betrayal of the martyr Hussein, which is told every night during Ramadan and was stated that it is the beginning of the important part of the kraya. On the evening of the twenty-seventh day of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). let's move to the middle of some desolate, semi-poor, un-modern country. Their doorbell rang constantly from a short circuit due to the rain. Ramadan is the perfect example of how different yet similar our American culture is to Islamic culture because it shows that the overall views of our holidays are alike: religion, community togetherness, and family.
Common topics in this essay:
Sayid Muhsen,
Sheik Ramadan,
Iraq Elizabeth,
El Nahra,
Nahra Ramadan,
Summer Ramadan,
Elizabeth Frozen,
Guests Sheik,
Muslim Iraqi,
Abdulla's Mohammed's,
el nahra,
holy month,
guests sheik,
ramadan viewed eyes,
elizabeth women,
heard throughout,
history ramadan,
ramadan viewed,
woman experiencing,
history ramadan viewed,
day month,
holy quran,
|
Acceptance Essays
