CHINO, CA: "This is not a month of staying hungry without any reason," says Syed Shamshad Nasir, Imam of Baitul Hamid Mosque in Chino California. "It is a month of realizing pains of our fellow men, women and children who actually go without having meals, for days sometimes, because they just do not have any food to eat." he said.

Muslims around the globe are now observing the holy month of Ramadan. Among them are hundreds of Muslims from San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and eastern parts of Los Angeles Counties who gather every evening at Baitul Hamid Mosque to break their fast, offer prayers and sit together for a formal dinner.

Baitul Hamid Mosque has traditionally hosted the daily dinner for the entire month of Ramadan where several hundred members of the community join together for the evening meal. Many times during the month non-Muslim friends from various churches and congregations also join in to share in the festivities. Every year Muslims observe a month of fasting by refraining from foods from dawn to sunset each day, offering superogatory prayers in addition to the five prescribed daily prayers and giving charity. Fast, or saum, is one of the five pillars of Islam. During Ramadan Muslims will break their 13- to 14-hour fast each evening, also known as iftar, with palm-dates or some other small snack which is immediately followed by prayers.

The end of Ramadan is marked with prayers and celebration called Eid ul-Fitr.Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim calendar, began on September 13th this year and it is when the Holy Qura'n, the Muslim holy book, was first revealed.

The period, based on the lunar calendar, begins with the sighting of the moon. Imam Shamshad delivers a short sermon every evening advising members about various aspects of worship, stressing their importance, and advises the members to carry the good habits formed during the month of Ramadan to the rest of the year. "Fasting impacts the body while the prayers impact our souls", explains Imam Shamshad Nasir referencing the verses of the Holy Quran.

"It is a month to remember our Creator, to offer thanks to God Almighty for the unlimited bounties that we some times take for granted, to reform ourselves, and to become habitual to do good to our fellow human beings - which is the purpose of our creation in the first place", he said. Some 400 - 450 people attend the prayers and dinner on the weekends while the weekdays' attendance is in the 200 - 250 range.