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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Hassan Al-Qwazwini

Aired November 17, 2001 - 08:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Millions of Muslims around the world begin fasting for the holy month of Ramadan after the new moon was seen on Friday.

CNN's Donna Kelley spoke with a Muslim spiritual leader yesterday about how Ramadan will be different this year in light of the September 11 attacks and this war in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA KELLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the year of the Muslim calendar and it's the most solemn period of the Islamic year. Muslims throughout the world shake off their every day concerns and they concentrate on prayer and fasting and worship and contemplation. Ramadan is a time of fasting. Eating, drinking, smoking and sex to be abstained from between daybreak and sundown.

Some observant Muslims even refrain from brushing their teeth. They're afraid if they happen to accidentally swallow some water or some toothpaste then that would break their fast. There are exceptions to the fast of Ramadan, though. If you're a soldier in battle, people who are sick, travelers, minor children among those who are exempt.

What about wars, like the one certainly that's currently going on in Afghanistan? Should it be suspended during Ramadan?

Well, as a matter of fact, Muslims have a long history of fighting during Ramadan. Prophet Mohammed, in fact, fought to reclaim the holy city of Mecca during Ramadan in the year 624. From battles with crusaders in the Middle Ages to the more recent conflicts during the last half of the 1900s, Ramadan has been marked by conflict in the Islamic world through the centuries.

With us to discuss the meaning and nuances of Ramadan is one of the spiritual leaders of Islam in the United States. It's Imam Hassan Al-Qwazwini. Imam Hassan Al-Qwazwini, it's nice to have you join us. Thanks very much.

IMAM HASSAN AL-QWAZWINI, ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA: Thank you so much for inviting me.

KELLEY: Happy Ramadan, I believe is the appropriate way to wish to you.

AL-QWAZWINI: Thank you so much. Same to you.

KELLEY: Now -- thank you. And in some countries, Friday or Saturday is the start of Ramadan. What do you hear so far is the sighting of the new moon?

AL-QWAZWINI: Well, according to the astronomical information we have here, Saturday is the first day of Ramadan and there are many Islamic centers and mosques around the United States who already announced Saturday to be the first day. However, yesterday we have heard the news that Saudi Arabia and some other Muslim countries announced Friday, which is today, the first day of Ramadan.

KELLEY: We talked about the fasting and abstaining. There's also feasting. What is the emphasis of Ramadan?

AL-QWAZWINI: Well, the emphasis of Ramadan is to focus the mind on the suffering of other people, motivate Muslims to be help to the needy, to the poor. We know that there are one billion people who live under the line of poverty in this world today. There are 1.5 billion Muslims who live around the world. If each Muslim motivated by fasting would offer one meal at least every day, then that would be 1.5 billion meals during the month of Ramadan.

Of course, that is not going to uproot poverty in the world, but at least it would reduce and alleviate the pain of the hungry people. So that is the main focus.

Also, the other focus of the month of Ramadan and fasting is to teach Muslims self-restraint, to struggle with our temptations, with our deviant inclinations, to be a better person, to learn how to be a strong person, to face the challenges of life that are many.

So that, those are the two main focuses of the fasting.

KELLEY: Self-control and thinking of others. What about the night of power, the last 10 days especially holy and the night of power?

AL-QWAZWINI: Well, the night of power is a very holy night that is held with much respect by Muslims. Muslims believe that the Holy Koran was revealed that night to Prophet Mohammed. So Muslims are encourage to attend mosques everywhere, wherever they are, and to offer worship to god during that night because it is a very holy night. As a matter of fact, it is the holiest night in the entire year and that is according to the Shia Islamic tradition. It is in the 23rd night of the Ramadan. To the Sunni Islamic tradition, it is in the 27th night of Ramadan.

KELLEY: Tell us, Imam, if you would, how you think that this year Ramadan will be different for the many Muslims across the world and especially in light of the September 11 attacks and how many Muslims, in your opinion, you think, view the September 11 attacks and how Osama bin Laden looks at Islam and what he has called for. AL-QWAZWINI: Well, I think many Muslims in the Islamic world, I can say the majority of the Muslims around the world believe that Osama bin Laden does not represent them nor their causes at all. They do not believe that he represents Islam. He only represents a fringe group that -- and he represents himself only.

I don't see any major sympathy from Muslims with Osama bin Laden. Yes, there is a sympathy with the people of Afghanistan, but not with bin Laden himself. And many people do believe that he is the perpetrator of and he was behind the September 11 attacks. And I believe this year Ramadan is different with other years by having the pain we are all going through after the September 11 incident. And we feel for the victims of those terrorist acts that claimed the life of thousands of our fellow citizens.

So this year is different in that sense. And also, we feel also for the victims and for innocent people in Afghanistan who were mistakenly targeted during our military operations. And also, Muslims in America face another challenge, which is, I think, a positive challenge, which is facing the overwhelming interest by many non- Muslims to learn about Islam and to know about Islam more.

We know Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions in the world and especially in America. So we here in America, and especially here in Detroit, which is the homeland for the largest Muslim concentration in the United States, we have been receiving many delegations and people from churches...

KELLEY: And there is higher interest now, that's right.

AL-QWAZWINI: There is...

KELLEY: We want to thank you very much for joining us. We're delighted to have you, Imam Hassan Al-Qwazwini with the Islamic Center of America in Detroit, many thanks and happy Ramadan.

AL-QWAZWINI: Thank you so much.

KELLEY: And back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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