Bill Text: NY J01619 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Observing and celebrating March 10-April 9, 2024, as Ramadan, the month of fasting for the Muslim community, in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 42-21)

Status: (Passed) 2024-01-17 - ADOPTED [J01619 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01619-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1619

BY: Senator THOMAS

        OBSERVING  and celebrating March 10-April 9, 2024,
        as Ramadan, the month  of  fasting  for  the  Muslim
        community, in the State of New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is a long and proud tradition of the State of New York
to recognize and applaud customs which foster a spirit of community  and
pride as they preserve and enhance the rich cultural heritage and ethnic
diversity of its citizens; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
observe  and  celebrate March 10-April 9, 2024, as Ramadan, the month of
fasting for the Muslim community, in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, There are an estimated seven million  Muslims  in  America,
along  with Islamic places of worship, called mosques, in all 50 states;
and

  WHEREAS, New York State has  a  relatively  high  Muslim  population
compared  to  other  states;  according  to the Pew Research Center, two
percent of adults in the State identify as Muslim; and

  WHEREAS, Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion
Muslims throughout the  world;  it  is  a  time  for  inner  reflection,
devotion  to  God,  and  self-control;  Muslims think of it as a kind of
tune-up for their spiritual lives; and

  WHEREAS, There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims;
the third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam, fasting,  has  many
special  benefits; among these, the most important is that it is a means
of learning self-control; and

  WHEREAS, Due to the lack of preoccupation with the  satisfaction  of
bodily  appetites  during  the  daylight  hours of fasting, a measure of
ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means  of
coming closer to God; and

  WHEREAS, Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the
Qur'an,  giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing good deeds;
as a secondary goal,  fasting  is  a  way  of  experiencing  hunger  and
developing  sympathy  for  the less fortunate, and learning thankfulness
and appreciation for all of God's bounties; and

  WHEREAS, Fasting is also beneficial to the  health  and  provides  a
break  in  the  cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence; while voluntary
fasting is recommended  for  Muslims,  during  Ramadan  fasting  becomes
obligatory;  sick people, travelers, and women in certain conditions are
exempted from the fast but must make it up as they are able; and

  WHEREAS, Perhaps fasting in Ramadan is the most widely practiced  of
all  the  Muslim  forms  of  worship;  Ramadan is the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar; the much-anticipated start of the month is based on  a
combination   of   physical  sightings  of  the  moon  and  astronomical

calculations; the practice varies  from  place  to  place,  some  places
relying  heavily on sighting reports and others totally on calculations;
and

  WHEREAS,  In the United States, most communities follow the decision
of  the  Islamic  Society  of  North  America,  which  accepts  bonafide
sightings  of the new moon anywhere in the United States as the start of
the new month; the end of  the  month,  marked  by  the  celebration  of
'Eid-al-Fitr, is similarly determined; and

  WHEREAS,  The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn
and ends at the setting of the sun; in between -- that  is,  during  the
daylight hours -- Muslims totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and
marital  sex;  the  usual  practice  is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor)
before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset; and

  WHEREAS, The last 10 days of Ramadan are a time of special spiritual
power as everyone tries to come closer to God through devotions and good
deeds; the night on which the first verses of the Qur'an  were  revealed
to  the  Prophet,  known  as  the  Night  of  Power (Lailat ul-Qadr), is
generally taken to be the 27th night of the  month;  the  Qur'an  states
that this night is better than a thousand months, therefore many Muslims
spend the entire night in prayer; and

  WHEREAS, During the month, Muslims try to read as much of the Qur'an
as  they  can; most try to read the whole book at least once; some spend
part of their day listening to the recitation of the Qur'an in a mosque;
and

  WHEREAS, At the completion of the obligation  of  fasting  known  as
'Eid-al-Fitr  festival, Muslims use many phrases in various languages to
congratulate one another by saying "'Eid mubarak (A  Blessed  'Eid)"  --
universal; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
observe and celebrate March 10-April 9, 2024, as Ramadan, the  month  of
fasting  for  the  Muslim community, in the State of New York; and be it
further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the Muslim community of the State of New York.