Fasting … The Kadidi family enjoy an evening mealat their Balmain home
There was feasting before the fasting last night, as 350,000 Muslims around Australia welcome their holy month of Ramadan today.
During the fasting month of Ramadan, Muslims are obligated to abstain from food, water, smoking and sex from sunrise to sunset daily.
Hundreds of worshippers attended the Lakemba Mosque last night for special Ramadan prayers called tarweh and then feasted last night in preparation for the fasting from sunrise this morning.
Mohemmed and Zeinab Kadadi and their children enjoyed a family dinner and then woke up about 3.40am for a light meal before dawn.
After a little rest, the family got up again for their dawn prayers about 4.30am and began their 14 hours of daily fasting.
"Ramadan is a time to worship and feel really close to Allah," Mrs Kadadi, 43, said.
"The fasting is not only of food and drink but all your bad habits. When we fast, we learn to appreciate everyday things like food and water that people take for granted," she said.
The Kadadi family of Balmain are all fasting including 16-year-old Bilal and 13-year-old Rayan.
"My children started fasting early, when they were seven years old, the same age I started. It’s a very special month for all of us," she said.
Muslims are still expected to adhere to praying five times a day but have an additional evening prayer time during Ramadan – which is the month when the Muslim’s holy book the Koran was revealed to their prophet Mohammed.
Executive Director of the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (FAIR) Kuranda Seyit said Ramadan was a special month for Muslims and they wanted to share their experience with people of other faiths. FAIR and other groups are inviting people from different backgrounds to take part in the sunset ifta dinners throughout the month.
"After we fast each day we visit family and friends and break our fast with them," he said.
At least 10,000 people are expected at tonight’s prayer service at the Lakemba Mosque and during night services throughout Ramadan.