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The Muslims in the Rio Grande Valley will join the Muslims all over the world to fulfill one of their religious duty of fasting for one full month in the month of "Ramadan", the ninth month of Islamic Calendar. Since the Islamic Calendar is lunar, the month of Ramadan this year (1420 Hijra Year) will fall between December 9, 1999 and January 8, 2000. There are over one billion Muslims around the world of whom some seven to nine million reside in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The reason Muslims believers fast in the month of Ramadan is found directly in the Qur'an, the divinely revealed scripture of Islam, and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic requirement of fasting is not new. It is prescribed in the Old Testament (Torah) and the New Testament (Injeel) and the Qur'an clearly testifies to this fact. Muslims believe that the month of Ramadan confers great blessings. The Revelations of the Qur'an started in this month 1400 years ago and the Qur'an is a guide for the success of mankind.

Fasting in Islam begins before the first light of dawn and Muslims then totally abstain from any food, drink, smoking and sexual relations throughout the day until sunset. Fasting in Islam is primarily a religious duty. However it is mentioned by Prophet Muhammad to be therapeutic. In relation to the religious aspects, the fasting is meant for spiritual upliftment, self discipline, self restraint and self control. The major effects of fasting are self-education and self-evaluation and is a readily available form of self discipline.

At the end of the month of fasting, Muslims celebrate the successful completion of their religious duty in a festival called Eid-ul-Fitr. Based upon the moon sighting this festival this year may fall on January 8, 2000.

The Muslims in the Rio Grande Valley are holding daily and weekly prayer services at two locations: The Islamic Society of South Texas at 2008 N. Ware Road in McAllen right in front of Nikki Rowe High and at the Rio Grande Valley Islamic Center at 502 E. Pike Boulevard in Weslaco. In the month of Ramadan these two locations will continue the daily and weekly services, gatherings for fast-breaking and special prayers. The time for weekly meetings is from 6 - 10 PM on Fridays in McAllen and Saturdays in Weslaco. These meetings are open to public. Muslims in Information about the month of fasting and Islamic activities can be obtained by calling the Islamic Society of South Texas at 618-4180 or Rio Grande Valley Islamic Center at 969-8549 or any of the following telephone numbers: 630-6663, 968-4283, 687-8609 or 447-2777.