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CAMP GARMSIR, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The Islamic season of Ramadan has officially ended here, and members of the Afghan National Army and Regimental Combat Team 5 joined together for a meal to begin the three-day celebration known as Eid il-fitr or “to break the fast,” August 31.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend their days in a complete fast.
During this month, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours in an effort to purify the soul and refocus their attention on God through the practice of self-sacrifice.
“Ramadan is based on the Islamic Arabic calendar. It comes once a year for 30 days. Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset,” said Dauod Parwani, the RCT-5 cultural advisor. “Basically it is a religious month. From sunrise to sunset they don’t eat, they don’t drink, they don’t smoke and they don’t curse.”
Ramadan is much more than abstaining from any and all sustenance during daylight hours, and Eid, which begins immediately following Ramadan, has a special meaning of its own.
Traditionally, Eid begins when the new moon is first seen in the sky. This three-day period is meant to be a festive time in which Muslims give thanks for receiving the strength to endure a daily fast throughout the previous month. Eid celebrations are usually known to be large gatherings of friends and family during which new clothes will be worn and gifts will be exchanged.
When Eid begins, Muslims will go to mosques to say a special prayer known as Salaat. This is followed by several acts of charitable giving to the less fortunate.
“At the end of Ramadan every Muslim who has been fasting is obligated to give some charity to the poor. The belief is that their fasting is not accepted or completed until they give that charity to the poor,” said Parwani who was born in Kandahar, raised in Lashkar Gah, and has lived the past 25 years in northern California. “So after Ramadan, on the first day of Eid, they go to Eid prayer, and after they are done with the prayer they break their fast.”
As the Marines stepped off the bus at Camp Garmsir to take part in a traditional Eid meal, they were greeted by ANA soldiers eager to share this important cultural event with their American counterparts.
Parwani said it was very important for members of RCT-5 to share this meal as guests of the ANA.
“It is very important because the Marines are learning about the Afghan culture and are building a bridge between Afghans and Americans; We not only have to learn about Afghan culture but also let them know about American culture,” he said. “Today we bring ourselves one step closer to each other to sit and eat together.”
As the meal kicked off, Afghans and Marines worked together preparing seating serving food.
“It was a privilege to come out and serve the Afghan soldiers and their officers, letting them know that we are here for them,” said 1stLt. Dean R. Dukes, a communications officer with the RCT-5 brigade advisory team. “We truly appreciate everything they do, and maybe in turn they will appreciate everything we do.”
Dukes, a native of Fort White, Fla., was one of several Marines in the serving line dishing out chow to ANA soldiers and RCT-5 personnel.
“I feel that cultural experience that we go through, whether it is serving chow to them or them serving chow to us, we are working side by side building a relationship,” he said. “That will in turn build a better tomorrow for both Afghanistan and the United States.”
Parwani agreed with Duke’s assessment of the cross-cultural experience saying, “One thing about Afghan culture is once you eat somebody’s food you are obligated to protect that person and be friends with that person.” He continued, “So it is very important that we share this meal with the Afghans, get to know each other and build a friendship with them.”
As RCT-5 takes command of U.S. forces in southern Helmand province, its Marines and sailors will, without a doubt, continue to deepen their cultural experience over the next year.
Editors Note: RCT-5 is assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward) which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2011 12:31 |
| Story ID: | 76351 |
| Location: | CAMP GARMSIR, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, RCT-5 joins ANA to break monthlong fast, by Andrew Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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