This month in Federal Way, the turning of the seasons has given us about 12 hours between sunrise and sunset each day. For the Muslim community, this can also mean abstaining from food and water from that sunrise to sunset in observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

This fast also comes with the opportunity for community meals each evening — and often brings a time of reflection and connection through extra prayer and generosity. Breaking that fast usually begins with a date and some water, which often leads to a larger meal called Iftar.

The Islamic Center of Federal Way (which is actually located in Kent) holds community Iftars on Friday and Saturday throughout the month, and each evening is typically attended by hundreds of people. Food options vary. Last weekend it was Uzbeki style pulao, and another week samosas were part of the menu.

The Islamic Center itself has a total attendance of around 5,000. Its members come from all over the world. A large Afghan population is present, representing the influx of refugees from that country in the past two years. Present also are people with a history in Somalia, Pakistan, Morocco, Palestine, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and even Mexico, to name a few.

Another Iftar took place on March 22 at what may seem an unlikely location — the basement of a church. Hosted by the Al-Ma’idah Initiative, their annual Iftar event has an open invitation to Christians and Muslims who want to eat together and share community.

The event began by accident, which is a story in itself, and “it became a really great situation,” said James Rayment, director of the Al-Ma’idah Initiative. “The premise is to have friendly and honest conversations. People are so afraid of saying the wrong thing that they don’t say anything, and that’s no way to make friends.”

Marceline Nyakirindo is a member of the Al-Ma’idah Initiative who hosted an Iftar for Christians and Muslims on March 22. She is personally a Christian, but has many shared experiences, including being a refugee in the United States like many of the Afghan guests who attended. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

‘Non-compromising conversation’

Sakina Rezai is a recent immigrant from Afghanistan who said she can’t wait to tell friends and family back home about the event.

“In my country, Christians and Muslims don’t eat together,” Rezai said. She added that she came to the event to “meet many people and to make friends.” Since moving to the United States, Rezai has converted to Christianity.

Husband and wife D.J. and Tyler Svenson are Christian and were both raised in the Salvation Army. They have both been pastors at one point or another and have lived all over the United States. For them, attending the Iftar is part of their love of “learning about other cultures” and an opportunity to understand their students better. Tyler is a special education teacher and also coaches wrestling, and D.J. is a substitute teacher.

Dmitriy Spatarel is the lead preaching pastor at Church Veritas, where the event was held. For him, he appreciated the opportunity to “meet Muslims in our area” and have “honest, non-compromising conversation.”

At this event, guest Irum Godil, who is Muslim, said it is a good experience to “convey some part of your belief system to someone else.” Aside from events like that one, she also reflects on faith through a book she has written and a personal blog.

In a post on that blog this Ramadan, she shared some reflections: “Our bodies are no different than the building inside which we are standing, or the cars we are driving. It is only the nerves, the emotions, that bind us to the physical pain of separating us from the physical artifacts of the body.”

For Godil, the practice of fasting this year really reminded her that “our core is our soul, and our soul is tied inside the body, as long as we are in this world,” and that “Ramadan is the time to feed this soul, by drastically reducing and limiting the needs of the body. Ramadan is crucial because it is a time of real reflection and growth.”

Back at the Islamic Center of Federal Way’s Iftar, Ramadan reflections centered on a variety of topics. But multiple people said they wanted to bring elements of their Ramadan practice into their lives outside of the holy month. Some of these focuses were on being generous, giving back to the community, being consistent with daily prayers, and being more conscious of staying present without distractions of music or media.

Mohammed Ihsan, a longtime volunteer at the center, said this Ramadan doesn’t feel like a normal Ramadan, “especially for Muslims, and anybody who has a heart, anybody who is human, I mean it’s just not normal.” He said that when you “see what’s going on in Palestine … the massacres and atrocities,” it reminds him that “we could very well be in their shoes,” the only difference is “they’re just born in the other part of the world.”

This message of compassion was also carried at the Iftar hosted by Al-Ma’idah, where Christian Marceline Nyakirindo said she appreciated the opportunity to hold space for recent Afghan refugees at the event.

Nyakirindo said as someone who experienced coming to the United States as a refugee when she moved from the Congo as a child, she tries to help it be “not such a jarring experience” for others with similarly harrowing stories.

Ten years ago, the Islamic Center of Federal Way community had no location of their own for worship and instead rented a church in Browns Point on Fridays and during Ramadan, Ihsan said. Now the community is so big, he runs into people he knows everywhere.

As just one example, Ihsan said when a cousin was recently visiting from Ireland, “I took him out to Costco, to Lowe’s, to Walmart, all around, and every single place that we go, we saw people from the masjid,” Ihsan said. The masjid refers to the ICFW. “You start feeling like a true sense of community when you see people outside of the community center as well.”

The holy month will come to a close on either April 9 or April 10 and will culminate in a massive community celebration full of food and family fun. When it comes that question of which day Eid is celebrated (breaking of the fast), Ihsan said that is “the funny part — that question has haunted Muslim for centuries because we have to rely on the moon. If you don’t see the moon, looks like you gotta go to work tomorrow!”

A sign directs guests to the community Iftar held by the Al-Ma’idah Initiative. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

Topics at the Iftar hosted by the Al-Ma’idah Initiative for Ramadan included everything from favorite foods to the complexities of free will and the weight of good works according to each religion’s holy texts. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

Even long after fasts were broken and food was cleaned up, guests at the Iftar hosted by the Al-Ma’idah Initiative were still deep in conversation. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror

In addition to religious differences, some language barriers added another layer of challenges at the Iftar event hosted by the Al-Ma’idah initiative. Guests at this table found a creative way around it by taking turns speaking into translation apps to get to know each other better. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / The Mirror