Issue In Focus US Society Culture
August 11, 2009
A Multicultural Ramadan
As the Ramadan season of introspection and celebration will begin, Muslim Americans in large cities and small towns will come together in mosques and homes to observe Ramadan as do Muslims across the globe. Families shop at Halal stores, prepare iftar meals, pray together and break the fast. Friends meet at the mosque to pray and read the Quran. Disagreements are put aside in the spirit of fellowship.
American society honors the holy month of Ramadan with the same reverence as the observance of many other religious celebrations that fill the broad spiritual landscape of the United States. American Muslims trace their ancestry to more than 80 countries. Muslims around the world will observe Ramadan in different ways, blending their own cultural customs with Islamic traditions.
My Ramadan
Four young Muslim American authors explain what Ramadan means to them.
- The First Fast
- The Lessons of Ramadan
- Ramadan: An American-Egyptian Perspective
- Ramadan in a Multi-Faith Family
Photo Gallery
Observing Ramadan Worldwide - Many of the world's 1.5 billion Muslims will observe the month of Ramadan in different ways, blending their own cultural customs with Islamic traditions of prayer and fasting. In the United States alone, Muslims come from more than 80 countries and represent a mosaic of ethnic, linguistic, ideological, social and economic groups.
Publication
Being Muslim in America
- The young women pictured on our cover are both Muslim. They live near Detroit, Michigan, in a community with many Arab-American residents. >Each expresses her faith in her own way, with a combination of traditional and modern dress. Here, they compete fiercely on the basketball court in a sport that blends individual skills and team effort. They - along with the other men, women, and children in this publication - demonstrate every day what it is like to be Muslim in America.
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Blog: Talking Faith
Talking Faith explores the complexity of life in a religiously diverse nation. Join our conversation and express your views on topics like freedom of faith and choosing a religious identity. Join experts each week for an honest and exciting look at religious life in the United States. Join the discussion.
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Learn more about A Multicultural Ramadan at America.gov