| Name 'Messiah' would offend, judge says Aug 14th 2013, 01:09 By Marlena Baldacci, CNN (CNN) - Young Messiah, the "happiest baby in the world," according to his mother, is blissfully unaware that a judge ruled that his birth name promises to offend many in his Tennessee community. His mother, Jaleesa Martin, and father, Jawaan McCullough, who are not married, couldn't agree on a last name for their baby, now 7 months old. That's why they ended up in the courtroom of Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew. Ballew ruled last week that not only should little Messiah's last name be changed - from Martin to McCullough - but also that his first name should be changed. In her ruling, Ballew wrote: "'Messiah' is a title that is held only by Jesus Christ" and that naming him this "places an undue burden on him that as a human being, he cannot fulfill." Her ruling also noted the large Christian population in the Tennessee county where the child was born. Speaking to CNN affiliate WBIR, Ballew, wearing earrings in the shape of a cross, said this was the first time she had ordered a name change. Martin, whose family is Baptist, said there was no religious motivation behind her pick; rather she'd heard the name on one of her favorite TV shows and thought it'd be a good name for her son. She also wanted another "M" name to go with her other two sons, Mason and Micah. CNN could not reach McCullough for comment. Heartbroken and shocked, Martin told CNN Ballew gave the parents a one-hour recess to pick a new name and then issued the new name when she and the baby's father couldn't come up with one. The judge's pick: Martin DeShawn McCullough. Martin said that she'll keep calling her son Messiah and that she has heard from supporters all over the country. She's also upset about reports she is being attacked online as a bad mother. The Tennessee American Civil Liberties Union is following the case, saying it supports Martin and calling the judge's ruling unacceptable. "The bench is not a pulpit, and using it as one, as this judge did, violates the parents' rights and our sense that people of all faiths will be treated fairly in the courtroom," Executive Director Hedy Weinberg said. According to U.S. Social Security Administration statistics, Messiah was the fourth-fastest growing name for boys in the United States from 2011 to 2012. It ranks at Number 387, between the decidedly traditional names Scott and Jay. Ballew declined CNN's request for comment. Martin has appealed the court's decision; it will go before the Cocke County chancellor next month.   |  | iReporter captures 'holy supper' scenes in Mexico Aug 13th 2013, 17:57 By Sarah Brown, CNN (CNN) - Every August, devotees from the Light of the World Church, or La Luz Del Mundo, based in Guadalajara in central Mexico gather for a "holy supper," or "santa convocation." The event is a remarkably colorful occasion for the church, which says it follows the beliefs of the "primitive" or early Christian traditions. Crowds of worshipers who had traveled to the country from as far afield as Israel spill out into the city's streets, holding parades and festivities that go on for days.The event reaches its peak Wednesday when the actual holy supper celebration is held in the church's main building in Hermosa Provincia in Guadalajara. The supper, says church member Isaac Manriquez, represents "the maximum expression of faith" for worshipers attending the event. Manriquez, from Deming, New Mexico, where the organization has a congregation, says he has been helping out at the ceremonies since he was small. He sent in these images of the church's members parading down the main thoroughfare called the Calzada, which leads to the main temple. Sharing photos of his fellow church members was, for Manriquez, a chance to inform others about his faith. For him, the event is about reuniting with international friends and reaffirming his commitment to his religion. "The event is very important for me and for those who share this faith," he said. "What inspired me … was seeing thousands of people from different nations with the same faith united as if they were one. Even though they were from different races and spoke different languages - there seemed to be nothing that separated them." Read Manriquez' iReport submission and see more of his photos here   | | Priest from Missouri accident revealed Aug 13th 2013, 12:36 By Steve Almasy, CNN (CNN) - Katie Lentz finally knows the identity of the Catholic priest who came to her side during a life-threatening accident on a two-lane Missouri highway this month. Turns out, it was a Father Dowling mystery. The Rev. Patrick Dowling, that is. Dowling, a priest since 1982, revealed in a comment on a story posted on the National Catholic Register that he was the man who prayed over Lentz, 19, while emergency workers treated her for injuries after an August 4 accident. Dowling wrote in the comment, which has since been deleted: "I absolved and anointed Katie, and, at her request, prayed that her leg would not hurt. Then I stepped aside to where some rescue personnel and the pilot were waiting, and prayed the rosary silently." Read the full story here.   | | Judge: Baby can't be named 'Messiah' Aug 12th 2013, 17:30 A Tennessee judge has ordered the parents of a 7-month-old boy to rename their son "Martin" instead of "Messiah," CNN affiliate WBIR reports. "The word Messiah is a title and it's a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ," Child Support Magistrate Lu Ann Ballew said. Jaleesa Martin, the child's mother, told WBIR that she intends to appeal the decision. Do you agree with the judge's decision or do you think the parents should be able to name their son Messiah? Let us know in the comments below.   | | 'Breaking Bad' and the evil within us all Aug 10th 2013, 06:33 Opinion by Rachel Held Evans, special to CNN (CNN) - The other day I was asked in a radio interview why I'm still a Christian. Since I've never been shy about writing through my questions and doubts, the interviewer wanted to know why I hang on to faith in spite of them. I talked about Jesus—his life, teachings, death, resurrection, and presence in my life and in the world. I talked about how faith is always a risk, and how the story of Jesus is a story I'm willing to risk being wrong about. And then I said something that surprised me a little, even as it came out of my own mouth: "I'm a Christian," I said, "because Christianity names and addresses sin." I've been thinking a lot about sin lately because like many Americans I've gotten hooked on "Breaking Bad" and am plotting ways to avoid any sort of social interaction on Sunday night so I can catch the first of the final eight episodes of the award-winning AMC series. What I love about "Breaking Bad"—besides its gripping plotlines, flawless character development, pitch-perfect performances, and the unmatched chemistry between Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, is the way it traces teacher-turned-kingpin Walter White's descent into total moral ignominy, one frighteningly relatable decision at a time. 5 questions 'Breaking Bad' must answer Walter doesn't start off with the goal of making millions and killing anyone who gets in his way. He just wants to survive at first. Then he wants to provide, then he wants to impress, then he wants to spite, then he wants to rule. His desires aren't that different from yours or mine, really, and neither are his decisions. In fact, Walter is at his most infuriating not when he's cooking meth or even shooting a gun, but when he's betraying a friend, indulging his vanity, engaging in truly staggering feats of self-deception, and using other people for personal gain … basically when he's acting just like me on a given Tuesday morning. Which brings me back to Christianity. In Christianity, evil isn't something that simply exists "out there" among thieves and murderers and meth makers. No, Christianity teaches the hard truth that the evil we observe in the world is also present within ourselves. Racism, greed, misogyny, hatred, violence, inequity, selfishness, and pride all take shape within the human heart, so if we're going to tackle injustice in the world, we have to start with ourselves. Christianity rejects the idea that we're all okay. The good news is that liberation comes not from climbing some holy ladder to try and escape sin on our own, nor from wallowing in shame and self-hatred because of it, but receiving the grace of God through Jesus and extending that grace to others. This process begins with naming the evil within us and turning away from it—a process called repentance. In one of the most riveting "Breaking Bad" scenes of all time, we see Jesse on the verge of such a moment as he indirectly confesses his most haunting transgression to his Narcotics Anonymous support group. Unwilling to justify his sins like Walter, and desperate to stop numbing himself from them through drugs, Jesse gets frustrated with those in the group urging him to accept himself without judgment. In a fit of frustration, Jesse cries, "So I should stop judging and accept? So no matter what I do, hurray for me, because I'm a great guy? It's all good? What a load of crap …You know why I'm here in the first place? To sell you meth. You're nothing to me but customers …You OK with that? You accept that?" The group sits in stunned silence until the leader finally whispers, "No." I've heard from many addicts who say meetings like these are the closest thing they have to church because it's the only place in the world where people tell the truth about themselves, even the ugly parts. This is what the church calls confession. Confession gives us the chance to admit to one another that we're not OK and then to seek healing and reconciliation together, in community. It's not about pointing out the sins of others, but acknowledging our shared brokenness, our shared capacity for destruction, our shared rebellion against what is beautiful and good. I think this is one reason we find Walter White so compelling—and, for that matter, Dexter Morgan, Don Draper, and Piper Chapman. They may be meth dealers and serial killers and prison inmates, but what drives them isn't all that different than what drives you and me. Nor is the grace that would ultimately save us all. Rachel Held Evans is the author of "Evolving in Monkey Town" and "A Year of Biblical Womanhood." She blogs at rachelheldevans.com. The views expressed in this column belong to Evans. Evans has written previously for CNN's Belief Blog, including: Why millennials are leaving the church; and Not all religious convictions are written in stone.   | | 'No Muslim parking' signs spark outrage Aug 9th 2013, 18:00 From CNN affiliate KPRC Houston - New signs posted outside a mosque in Spring Branch, Texas, have sparked outrage from Muslims nationwide. In black letters, the signs reads, "No Muslim parking in the Westview Shopping Center. Your car will be towed." The posters lined the street near the El Farouq Mosque, where Muslims heading to worship services said they were were offended. "I feel sorry for the person who wrote it," Ahmed Hassan told CNN affiliate KPRC. "This is what comes to mind because obviously he has a lot of hate." "I'm very shocked because we do live in a society that's supposed to be very accepting, and this is what we all preach," said Yara Aboshady. "That we all have the freedom of religion." The parking signs were mentioned Thursday in an newsletter from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslims civil rights group. In recent years, Muslims have faced protests nationwide when trying to construct new mosques, including in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where mosque opponents have filed an appeal with the state supreme court to block construction. The El Farouq Mosque sits across the street from the shopping center. Store employees did not want to go on camera for KPCR but did say they get angry when mosque members park in their lot, taking up spots meant for customers. With the Muslim monthlong fast for the holy month of Ramadan ending and a crowd expected at the mosque, the signs anonymously appeared. No shopping center employees would admit to posting the signs. One worker said the shopping center owner, Steve Kwon, posted the signs. He denied it. "I did not put up the signs," Kwon said. After speaking with KPRC, Kwon removed the signs. Aboshady wondered about the sign writer's true motive. "It could be no parking for the sake of patrons that come in," Aboshady said. "Or it really could be a prejudice and just a mean thing to say." She and others still find the signs insensitive and offensive. "It's really offensive and it's hateful," Hassan said. The shopping center owner says he will call a tow company to try to get all of the cars that shouldn't be parked there out. He also says he'll be checking the property to make there are no more of the offensive parking signs.   | | Rick Warren targeted by scammers in son's death Aug 8th 2013, 16:00 By Mary Snow and Eric Marrapodi, CNN (CNN)– Still grieving the death of his son, evangelical Pastor Rick Warren is now fighting off scammers looking to make a buck off his family's loss. Warren wrote on his Facebook and Twitter accounts on Tuesday that there were scores of fake social media accounts soliciting funds. "179 of over 200 FAKE Rick Warren Facebook pages created by scammers to make money on my son's death have now been shut down," he wrote on his Facebook page. "We're still working on the rest. Thanks to you friends for reporting them and thanks for "LIKING" this real page. I appreciate you so much for your help. God bless you." 179 Fake Facebook pages making money on my son's death now shut down. Thx for "liking" my real page: on.fb.me/1a6s3p3—
Rick Warren (@RickWarren) August 07, 2013
Warren has been public about his grief on social media since his 27-year-old son committed suicide in April after what the family described as a life-long battle with mental illness. Warren, perhaps best known as the author of the bestselling book, "The Purpose-Driven Life," is making it his mission now to fight against the stigma of mental illness. As part of the effort, the Warren family set up a fund in Matthew's honor. Meanwhile, Warren has slowly returned to the public spotlight. After a 16-week absence he returned to the pulpit July 27 and was warmly greeted by thousands of congregants at Saddleback Church, the Orange County megachurch he founded in 1980. Warren credited his family, particularly his daughter Amy, for helping him return to work. "I am in a family of spiritual redwoods. I mean they are giants of faith," he told congregants. "When Matthew died, Amy said, 'You know daddy,' she said, 'Satan picked the wrong family to pick on. He's gonna lose big time on this one.'" Warren is not the only target for scammers on social media. Other megachurch leaders like Joel Osteen have also been targeted by phony Facebook pages. Scammers rely on unwitting victims to see the name of a famous pastor on social media and click "friend" or "like," said Ed Stetzer the president of LifeWay Research, an evangelical research group. They then solicit funds by pretending to represent those pastors. Stetzer, who has a large social media presence, has also been targeted and says Christian leaders are seeing an increase in scammers. "I think it's important that people realize that there are a lot of evil people in the world," he said. Stetzer says scammers copy photos and profiles so the pages look real. What often raises red flags is the content of the postings. "The posts really weren't like I would post, and secondarily, they began to contact people and those people said 'that really doesn't sound like you at all." Facebook says imposter pages violate its terms of agreement, "including those that forbid scams, fraud, or impersonation of others." When those pages are reported, they are removed, the company says.   | | The seven deadly sins of sports Aug 7th 2013, 18:58 Opinion by Larry Alex Taunton, special to CNN (CNN) - Being a sports fan these days almost requires a law degree. What with all the legal troubles of athletes, who can keep up? Lawyers certainly have the edge in the fantasy leagues. The rest of us keep one on retainer. Still, even they might have some difficulty predicting outcomes. Will the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez actually be suspended? Will Riley Cooper be cut from the Philadelphia Eagles? Will Johnny Manziel lose his NCAA eligibility? With this in mind, my crack team of researchers has produced a list of Seven Deadly Sins in Sports and the punishments you can expect to be meted out to the athletes in question. Before we get to the list, however, there are a couple of principles you must bear in mind to make sense of crime and the sporting landscape: The First Principle is that there are no principles. This will become obvious as we go along, but it is nonetheless critical that you understand this if you want to win that coveted league championship. The Second Principle is that the athlete stands a better chance of weathering controversy if he is really good. Albert Speer and Werner von Braun were both members of Germany's SS and both used slave labor. But Speer was an architect. America didn't need another architect and Speer got 20 years in prison. Von Braun, on the other hand, was a rocket scientist. Now here was a franchise player. Von Braun received fame, fortune and a lot of buildings named after him. So it is in sports. Get it? Now, to the list (from least to most deadly): 7. Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Accessory to Murder, and Manslaughter Got a guy on your roster accused of being involved in a murder? Don't panic. The truth is, this deadly sin isn't all that deadly for the alleged perp. How this plays out largely depends on the Second Principle: Is he really good? No, on second thought, in these instances your draftee must be great. Aaron Hernandez was good. He's being held in jail on murder charges. Ray Lewis was great. So were his lawyers. They negotiated a plea agreement to obstruction of justice and authorities dropped a murder charge. Lewis served probation but did not miss a game, and is now an elder statesman of the NFL. READ MORE: Search warrant: Aaron Hernandez stored guns in box The lesson here is this: If you have someone like Hernandez on your fantasy team, try to trade him. But don't expect much in return. If, however, your player has been accused of manslaughter, you can breathe easy. The first part of that word is the key: manslaughter. If he killed a dog, he's looking at hard time. But I am getting ahead of myself. Remember, your players can afford solid legal counsel and so long as the victim is anonymous and not, say, Justin Bieber, you can expect your player to receive something along the lines of probation or community service. 6. Steroids This depends on the sport. Tour de France? Your guy is done for the season, if not for life. But who ever heard of a Tour de France fantasy league? Let's not be silly, this is America. And in America professional players' unions are strong and the burden of proof is high. As a consequence, suspected steroid users Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens may not make the Baseball Hall of Fame anytime soon, but their records and bank accounts are safe. Got Alex Rodriguez on your team? You're in luck; $100 million can buy a lot of lawyers and that translates to a playoff berth for you - if only he could stay off the disabled list! READ MORE: Alex Rodriguez: 'I'm fighting for my life' 5. Accepting money* (Applies only to amateur athletes) This one is a bit tricky because the punishments, if caught, can be stiff: loss of eligibility, forfeiture of games and awards, etc. But, like steroids, the burden of proof is high. So unless someone wearing Google Glass saw your guy accept money, he should be fine. READ MORE: Johnny Manziel unlimited, unleashed - and under NCAA investigation 4. Putting out bounties on your opponents. This is a no-no, as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has made clear. It's not so much that the NFL is opposed to violence. If your player is involved in a domestic violence case, he may not even miss practice. Bounty hunters, however, are another matter. Keep these athletes on your roster at your own risk. Even if they are later cleared to play, suspensions are inevitable. Exception: Bounties are perfectly acceptable if the person upon whom the bounty is placed is guilty of either #1 or #2 on our list. Such was the case of Riley Cooper who, over the weekend, had a bounty placed on his head by Marcus Vick, brother of Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick. 3. Animal abuse Speaking of Michael Vick, animal abuse ranks very high on our list of Deadly Sins. It's forgivable, but just barely. As noted above, it's better to hit a man with your car while driving intoxicated than to electrocute a dog. There doesn't seem to be an anti-manslaughter lobby, but animals are well represented. Expect this athlete to get 3-5 years in the state pen. 2. Racial slurs The best advice we can give? Trade him before the video goes viral or before Al Sharpton holds a press conference. (See: Riley Cooper. But my guess is, you already have.) 1. Gambling As Pete Rose, Art Schlichter, and the 1919 Black Sox scandals have shown, this is the one sin a player cannot commit. Ever. If your draftee has a bookie, you have a problem. There is, of course, a much larger point here and it is one that goes well beyond fantasy leagues. Consequences for criminal conduct or cheating — they aren't always the same thing — seems to have less to do with the actual deed done than with the degree of public outrage. Indeed, in the professional ranks, commissioners dole out punishment like Roman emperors: thumbs up or thumbs down depending on the roar of the mob. How can one justify a lifetime ban for Pete Rose, for instance, who neither bet on his own team nor gained any competitive advantage in the sport, while A-Rod, whose whole career may have been aided by the use of PEDs, gets a 211-game suspension (if he loses his appeal)? How is it that wife-beaters and murderers seem to have better prospects than Riley Cooper, who, after his undeniably racist remark at a Kenny Chesney concert was caught on video, has been (justifiably) reprimanded, fined, required to undergo sensitivity training, dismissed from practice, and, now, according to ESPN, may be dismissed from the team altogether? The answer is that the court of public opinion is a great deal more outraged by Cooper's idiotic remarks than it is by Donte' Stallworth's criminal actions: a DUI manslaughter conviction in the 2009 death of Mario Reyes. Incidentally, Mario Reyes, a construction worker, couldn't afford a car. Stallworth, who was driving a Bentley, struck him when he crossed the road to catch the bus after working an all-nighter. Stallworth plays for the Washington Redskins. He makes $840,000 a year. We have lost all sense of proportion. Larry Alex Taunton is the executive director of the Fixed Point Foundation and author of "The Grace Effect: How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief." The views expressed in this column belong to Taunton.   | | Islam's `Night of Power' and the terror alert Aug 6th 2013, 22:26  Opinion by Hussein Rashid, special to CNN
(CNN) - During Ramadan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims, there is a night that I look forward to every year. This night is called Laylat ul-Qadr, which translates as the "Night of Power" or the "Night of Destiny." It is the night when Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammed received the first revelation of the Quran. He was in a cave, praying, when he hears the angelic voice of Gabriel speaking to him, bearing him a revelation from God. CNN's Peter Bergen thinks that this night has symbolic meaning for al Qaeda, and perhaps it does. Bergen speculated that the holy night might be the reason behind the recent uptick in al Qaeda's activity and the corresponding closure of U.S. embassies in Africa and the Middle East. I remain unconvinced of the causal link that Bergen tries to establish. READ MORE: Drone strikes kill militants in Yemen; Americans urged to leave More importantly, such links between Islamic holy days and militancy allow al Qaeda to continue to define what Islam is. For them, Islam is not a religion with spirituality, but is a political movement, where the holiest of days are simply calendar markers to run campaigns. The Quran asks of believers, "What is Laylat ul-Qadr?" While older translations favored "power" or "destiny," newer translations of the Quran simply keep qadr. To me, Laylat ul-Qadr emphasizes the divine wonder and awe that Muslims should feel, and it offers an opportunity, as Ramadan winds down, to commit oneself to the best of intentions and actions. It reminds us, as believers, that it is a night when God's power is immanent, and that we can choose our destiny. The one word encapsulates the relationship between Creator and created, and the multiple meanings of the word is part of the deliciousness that I savor. In that moment when the Quran is revealed, God's power is made apparent to Prophet Muhammad. We, as Muslims, understand the sanctified and holy nature of Muhammad, to be able to receive this revelation. We also recognize his humanity, as he reacts with disbelief and awe. As Muslims, we stay up all night in prayer on Laylat ul-Qadr, to recreate that experience of Prophet Muhammad. While we cannot receive revelation, we hope to achieve that proximity to God. Despite the important nature of this night, there is no consensus as to its exact date. Tradition holds that it is an odd numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan. For example, my community of Shiah Muslims – holds that it is the 23rd night of Ramadan. Other communities will select the 19th or 21st. Some people will stay in prayer every odd numbered date during those ten nights to make sure they honor the occasion. Because of this lack of specificity, and because of the traditional practices associated with Laylat ul-Qadr, I remain unconvinced of Bergen's data correlation. However, it is plausible, as I can imagine al Qaeda saying qadr means "power," and arrogating the divine attribute for themselves. I am not willing to cede that ground to them. There is a beauty and spirituality in Islam that attractions hundreds of million people the world over. When I choose my destiny, al Qaeda will have no part in it, nor in defining my faith. Hussein Rashid teaches at Hofstra University in the Department of Religion. He is an associate editor at Religion Dispatches, a term member on the Council on Foreign Relations and fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. The views expressed in this column belong to Rashid.   | | For some Muslims, Ramadan fasting poses risks Aug 4th 2013, 13:49 By Slma Shelbayah, CNN
Follow @SlmaShelbayah (CNN) This Ramadan, Amina Jabbar faced a difficult decision. The University of Toronto medical student's rotation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre began around July 9, the start of the Muslim holy month. That meant working unpredictable shifts for as long as 26 hours while fasting from eating and drinking during the day. The fast-paced hospital environment was already challenging Jabbar's ability to keep up with colleagues and patients. As a new physician, she felt more "error prone" and said fasting would increase her anxiety on the job. Ramadan requires "slowing down," Jabbar said, an impossible task for a first-year medical resident whose job requires fast decisions and clear thinking to save lives. The 29-year-old Muslim was torn. Should she fulfill her professional duties, eating regular meals so hunger would not distract her from patients' critical needs? Or should she honor her religious obligations by observing the fast, a practice considered a "pillar" of Islam? "I am spending 60-80 hours (at the hospital) and I don't get to slow down for Ramadan," Jabbar said. "It felt unfair to my colleagues and patients to tell them to slow down for me." At the same time, Jabbar said she feared that fellow Muslims would criticize her if she didn't fast. "There's a certain amount of shame when we talk about people not fasting," she said. The decision not to fast during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Muslim calendar, is somewhat taboo in the Muslim community. READ MORE: The Belief Blog Guide to Ramadan In Islam, Ramadan commemorates the time when the angel Gabriel imparted the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed. Many Muslims throughout the world commemorate the month by fasting, refraining from sex and smoking, and dedicating more time than usual to praying and reading the Quran. Some exceptions are generally allowed during Ramadan, which ends August 8. Pregnant women, travelers and sick people are not expected to observe the fast, for example. But for many other Muslims, especially first responders and others with stressful jobs, the choice of whether to fast can cause its own kind of anxiety. When Jabbar blogged about her decision not to fast, she received a mix of reactions. One Muslim accused her of looking for an "excuse" to shirk her religious duties. Some questioned her devotion to Islam, asking if she performs other required Islamic rituals such as daily prayers. "Of course I pray," Jabbar said. "I am just choosing not to fast. We have a lot of pressure to demonstrate to our community that we're Muslim." Imam Khalil Abdur-Rashid, head of the Iqra Mosque in Brooklyn and Muslim Chaplain of Columbia University, said that observing the fast during Ramadan is a religious obligation for every Muslim who is considered mature, mentally sane, healthy and not traveling. There are no fatwas – or religious rulings – that grant fasting exemptions for first responders, he added. But, Abdur-Rashid said, one is definitely needed. In fact, he generated one immediately after speaking with CNN. "The purpose of the fast is not to place the fasting person in the face of harm, but to teach self-restraint," Abdur-Rashid said. "And the moment the fast becomes dangerous, or external conditions place the fasting person in harm's way," he said, "then the fasting person is not only permitted, but in many cases, religiously obliged to break their fast." Abdur-Rashid's new fatwa may be especially valuable to Muslims like New Yorker Ahmed Sabree, who battles fires while wearing heavy equipment during the searing summer heat. Sabree, 42, said the arrival of Ramadan this July took him back to his training days with the New York Fire Department nearly eight years ago. Sabree endured intense physical drills that included racing up six-story buildings, pulling up hoses and crawling on the floor. Trainers told the budding firefighters to "hydrate, hydrate, hydrate," Sabree recalls. He contemplated breaking the fast, at least to drink some water, and researched Islamic texts for guidance. Sabree concluded that his training, though grueling, was insufficient reason to drink water during the day. Ramadan is not just about enduring physical hardships for hardships' sake, Sabree said. Instead, the holy month has a deeply spiritual dimension. The firefighter said Ramadan's rituals offer an opportunity to "get back on track" and become more conscientious of his responsibilities to God and his fellow man. That doesn't mean fasting is easy for Sabree, so he takes precautions to lighten the load a bit. For instance, he volunteered for the lunchtime watch shift at his firehouse in Harlem, New York, while others are eating in the kitchen, better to keep the alluring aromas of food at bay. And if a fire breaks during the time of breaking the fast, Sabree responds immediately. To the fire that is, not his stomach. "If it's time to break the fast and there's a fire, you gotta go," Sabree said. "I'll break my fast with some water and go." READ MORE: Muslims have mixed views on TSA Ramadan advisory Deputy Chief Mike Jaafar of Wayne County in Michigan is also fasting this year. Jaafar says Ramadan is "kind of a cool time," but he doesn't mean temperature. In fact, for the last several years, Ramadan has fallen during the hottest summer months. The holy month is calculated by a lunar, rather than fixed calendar, so it rotates from year to year. "Unfortunately, I can't adjust my schedule in the profession I am in. This year is going to be a tough one," Jaafar said. He is expected to keep the same long hours and fulfill the same duties as his fellow officers. But there are some perks to celebrating Ramadan in Michigan, home to the largest concentration of American Muslims in the United States. When the holy month comes around, fasting isn't much of a foreign concept, even for those not Muslim. This understanding translates into small workarounds for Jaafar. Sometimes, if he begins his workday early enough, he is able to finish in time to get home for dinner. "My hours can be flexible, and usually I can break my fast with family," Jaafar said. He uses this time to visit his mother every day and to attend the mosque with his children. As for Jabbar, the medical resident is trying to make up for not fasting through other spiritually fulfilling options, such as praying and helping heal her patients. "Spirituality has to become part of my clinical practice, because I spend so much time of my life there," she said. But Jabbar said she still misses the slowing down that Ramadan's daytime fasting requires. "I am trying to make it up in terms of remembrance," of God, she said. "It doesn't always feel sufficient."   | |
