01-05-2024 During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk, and the tradition of fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. The meal at sunset that breaks the fasting is called iftar. During the month of Ramadan, the Turkish-American Society of Wisconsin (TASWI) organized interfaith/intercultural dialogue iftar dinner to cultivate friendship and promote a better understanding of diverse cultures. The participants were from all walks of life and various cultures and faith traditions. At the dinner, there were also religious leaders and representatives from various religious traditions proving that there was a strong and ever-growing solidarity of traditions in the Milwaukee area.
Al Cayman, TASWI volunteer, shared with the audience how his personal fasting experience shapes his daily life in Ramadan and explained why fasting is regarded as a self-discipline in Islamic tradition. He also elaborated on the social and spiritual aspects of the fasting in Ramadan. TASWI also surprised the participants with a gift as a token of appreciation to attending the event.
At a time when much emphasis is placed on the confrontation among different religious traditions and cultures, the iftar dinner was absolutely wonderful and reassuring to be a part of and to share with fellow human beings, this celebration of friendship and sharing.
