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Wed. Nov. 19, 2003
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Art & Culture > Heritage > Traditions
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Celebrating Ramadan in USA Islamic, Public Schools
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The students, ranging from the little kindergarteners, display their talents and skills in praising Allah and the Prophet through their chants |
Each year practicing Muslims around the world look forward to the month of Ramadan for religious and social reasons. This month of fasting and worship is also the month of renewing ties of kin and friendship. However, to the students of Averroes Academy, this holy month has an extra meaning; the weeks that precede Ramadan include many periods of practice and rehearsal for their annual ‘Welcome Ramadan’ show.
On a specific night, the students, ranging from the little kindergarteners to the emerging adolescents of the fifth grade, display their talents and skills in praising Allah and the Prophet through their chants (nasheed) and songs in both English and Arabic.
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View the students of Averroes Academy in their "Ramadan Show" 1 2 3 4 |
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In the lecture hall of the Islamic Center of Greater Chicago, where the school is currently located, parents, grandparents and many other members of the families settle down to watch this year’s Ramadan program. Countless paper lanterns, made by the schoolchildren for this occasion, hang from the ceiling, and from within them small light bulbs emit colorful lighting--bright but subtle. Calligraphic artwork adorns the walls; gilded thread embroidered on black velvet cloth display the words of several Qur'anic verses. The products of Egyptian artisans, these are yet another reflection of the ethnic diversity of this Islamic Center.
As the guests take their seats, the lights dim and the students come marching in through the long hallway that separates the lecture hall from the social hall. The five-year-olds lead the way from the side door to take center stage. As the lights are turned up again Amina Dzananovic, a kindergarten pupil from Bosnia, begins the program by reciting Surat Al-Qadr, followed by the Takbir. These samples of work learnt by the young pupils of Averroes Academy earned her great applause from the audience for her fine Arabic pronunciation.
The rest of the program proceeds, with each grade performing a set of Arabic and English songs that follow on from a recitation of one Qur'anic Surah. Many camera flashes from proud parents accompany each presentation. In a beautiful choral-like performance, the whole school concludes the program by reciting in Arabic the ninety names of Allah
Ramadan marks a special time of the year for the students of Islamic schools, as they adjust their daily timetable to end the school day early, as do schools in most Muslim countries. Unlike the public schools where Muslim students usually find themselves obliged to explain their annual fasting practice, the peer pressure in the Islamic schools lies mostly on the younger graders, who may not be physically able to fast every day. In Averroes Academy, the administration is well aware of this and the younger students are encouraged if they are physically fit, but are not pressured to follow their older schoolmates.
With a sense of pride and accomplishment, the fasting students are allowed extra time in the prayer hall to read the Qur'an, and perform dhikr (remembrance of Allah) during the school’s lunch and snack time.
Islamic celebrations in Public schools
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According to recent statistics, Islamic schools only accommodate 10% of the Muslim children inAmerica |
According to recent statistics, Islamic schools only accommodate 10% of the Muslim children in America. This means that the vast majority of the community’s children attend secular public schools. Muslim families have lately become more aware of their religious identity and are calling for accommodation in the public sphere, including public educational institutions. The Muslim civil rights movements, particularly during the past two years, are facing increasing challenges.
In the city of Chicago, the Chicago school district issued a memo on the first day of Ramadan asking all principals, in over 450 schools around the city, to help their Muslim students perform their fasting. Though there is no change in daily schedules, the memo notes that the schools should find appropriate places such as libraries or faculty lounges where the students can stay while lunch is being served to the rest of their classmates.
In other cities where the Muslim and Arab communities constitute a much bigger bloc, an attempt to close the school for the first day of both `Eids is being considered. In the past Muslim students were allowed to be absent for their holy celebrations, especially those of `Eid Al-Fitr (`Eid at the end of Ramadan) and `Eid Al-Adha (`Eid of the sacrifice). However, such absences were counted in each Muslim student’s end of year report and so prevented the student from being credited with perfect attendance.
In areas such as Dearborn Michigan, where Arab Muslims constitute a big bloc of the student body, some schools re-organize their academic calendars to accommodate for the two holidays. This November, following a heated debate between Muslim parents and other non-Muslims, the school board of Dearborn Heights decided to give the students a day off on November 25th, which marks the beginning of `Eid Al-Fitr this year. The day is not considered a school holiday though, but rather a professional development day, which means that only the faculty are required to attend.
The Arab Muslim community, whose children constitute almost a third of the school district students, was able to push for the day off, based on school attendance, as the state law mandates that the school will lose some funding if attendance falls below 75% on any given day.
Despite the increase of discriminatory treatment against some community members, the Muslim student body in public schools has been showing an increasing awareness and pride in their religious heritage. Ramadan remains the best time of the year to display their culture and identity. |
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Dina Rashed is islamonline.net correspondent in Chicago, USA. You can contact her at ArtEnter@islam-online.net
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