Google embraces Islam by releasing a tool for Ramadan

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Today Google is specifically embracing Islam by releasing a tool for Ramadan. The unimaginatively named ‘My Ramadan Companion’, which will help Muslims to observe this very holy month.

“To help you get the most out of Ramadan, we’ve launched My Ramadan Companion (g.co/Ramadan), which gives you customized and locally relevant information, tips, and other content highlighting the richness of what the web can offer during Ramadan around you. You can find out the sunset time in your location, plan your day accordingly, check out the traffic in your area, navigate to the closest charity Iftar, find and share recipes, enjoy Ramadan content on YouTube ranging from drama series and comedy sketches, health tips to stay fit during the 30 days of fasting”, says Zain Kamal Masri, associate product marketing manager, Middle East and North Africa, Google.

Masri further explains, depending on your location Google now will show you a range of relevant cards with popular YouTube videos, latest Ramadan news and information, and recommendations for apps that alert you to wake up for Suhur, enable you to design greeting cards for Ramadan to share with the family, find Halal restaurants around you, and countdown to Iftar time”.

Google already makes a big deal about Christmas with its Santa Tracker apps and websites, so it is nice to see the search-giant focusing on Muslims too. Even if you are not Muslim, this tool may be a great way to learn more about the religion and its traditions.

Californian Muslims brace for Ramadan celebrations

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Like Millions of Muslims across the world, Muslims in the US are preparing to observe the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on Thursday, with a religious flavor.

At southern California’s multi-cultural mosque, the Islamic Society of Orange County, preparations are going on to host thousands of Muslims on the first Saturday of Ramadan.

A huge canopy is being installed in the courtyard of the mosque where a large celebration is to be held.

The heavy schedule of the mosque will focus on mid-day prayers along with evening celebrations after the fast is broken.

“When you go without food and drink for entire day, even for one day, you realize what you have given up, and you realize what you actually have that you had taken for granted,” Sheikh Mustafa Umar, of a southern California mosque, told Voice of America on Monday.

Sheikh Umar is one of southern California Muslims who are bracing for fasting, reflections and communal gatherings that mark the holy month.

“Every day here at the mosque, we actually break our fast together at sunset, so that is around 8:00 pm,” Duaa Alwan, the president of the Islamic Society of Orange County, said.

“There are free meals, free dinners here. A lot of the larger community are invited to that, a lot of our friends from different faiths, our neighbors.”

U.S. Mosque welcomes over 50 School District staff

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About 50 teachers and administrators at one Pennsylvania school district attended a recent training session on Islam and Arabic culture, While there they learned about the practice of Islam, watched an afternoon Muslim prayer service.

The workshop in the town of Lebanon was led by a former district Arabic translator, Mohamed Omar, who “took time off from his new job as a case worker for the Department of Human Services in Philadelphia to share his knowledge of Islam with the staff,” the Lebanon Daily News reported.

Among the attendees: Superintendent Marianne Bartley and a handful of other administrators.

“I think this is the first time ever in the United States that a school district goes to a mosque,” mosque founder Hamid Housni told the Daily News. “Usually a representative of a mosque goes somewhere. We don’t have words to explain to you how we appreciate that. This is very, very special.”

The training session included a comparison-contrast of U.S.-Arab education, as well as a visit to a local mosque to learn more about the Islamic religion – and to join in the congregation’s prayer service, the news outlet said.

“We have so many students from different Hispanic countries, but slowly but surely the Arabic population is growing,” Omar said. “With Hispanics you have the language differences and certainly cultural differences, but there are similarities in their religious practices. Of course, the Arab language and the religion are very much different, but we are learning that there are also many similarities.”

Teachers and administrators removed their shoes at the mosque and mingled with the congregation, discussing God, Islam and Christianity, the news outlet reported.

“We believe we will be judged by God,” Omar said, at the mosque. “The more good deeds we do, God will forgive us in the end. … You must work. Faith without work will not be accepted.”

Teachers were given opportunity to ask questions and afterwards, called the event informative.

“It’s important that we educate ourselves about cultures that are different from our own and that we try to eliminate some misunderstandings,” said Lara Book, one of the teachers who attended. “And any way that I can communicate with my students … that makes it more meaningful or easier, it is a vital tool.”

Book also said: “Basically, although our cultures are different, the fundamentals of them are similar and we all want the same things, happiness for our families, health, and success. Although we might go about finding those things in our lives differently, from a cultural standpoint, we all want the same thing.”

Photos: Initiative to feed 30,000 displaced people a day, during Ramadan in Syria

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