Church of Jesus Christ Connects with Islamic Mosque for Ramadan

Featured Photo: (Left to right) Jamie Langston, sister missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ, Ahmed Elsaie, interfaith outreach for the North Texas Mosque, Elder missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ. Photos courtesy of Jamie Langston.

As the sun set on the first evening of Ramadan, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered 900 water bottles as a donation to the Islamic Association of Lewisville-Flower Mound mosque, whose congregation were preparing to break their daily fast.

Muslims observe the month of Ramadan by fasting – abstaining from both food and water – from sunup to sundown during the ninth month on the Islamic calendar — this year from April 13 to May 12. When the sun sets, there is a communal meal called ‘Iftar’ where they break their fast with friends and family.

 During Ramadan, Muslims are also encouraged to do good deeds and charitable acts. They use the month for a time of self-reflection, to develop positive habits, and to become closer to God.

 “We pray to Allah (SWT) for His blessings and mercy during the auspicious month of Ramadan!” it says on the Islamic Association of Lewisville-Flower Mound website.

SWT stands for the Arabic words “Subhanahu wa ta’ala, which Muslims use to glorify God when mentioning his name.

 “It is an honor to connect with our Muslim friends locally in Flower Mound. We have a shared understanding of fasting as a way to draw closer to God. Though the methods we fast may be different, the love and devotion we show to God, and striving to be better people are the same,” said Jamie Langston, Interfaith Communication Director of the Church of Jesus Christ Lewisville Stake.

There are other shared aspects of fasting between Muslims and members of the Church of Jesus Christ. A key pillar of Islam is giving to the poor, particularly doing the Ramadan fast. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ fast once a month, usually on the first Sunday of the month, for two consecutive meals and donate the money they would have spent on those meals to help those in need.

Added Langston, “We are grateful to connect with our friends and support them in this effort and month of sacrifice.”

The missionaries labeled the water bottles “Ramadan Mubarak”, which means blessed Ramadan.

Ramadan is observed worldwide in remembrance of the first revelation of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. You can learn more about Ramadan and the Islamic Association of Lewisville-Flower Mound at https://www.ialfm.org/ramadan/.