Some six to seven million Muslims live in the U.S. [according to CAIR] and many will observe the holy month of Ramadan, starting Tuesday. The observance commemorates the month in which Muhammad began to receive his revelations. It’s a holy season marked by personal introspection, good deeds for others and fasting during daylight hours.
Here are five resources to help you understand the observance and find story ideas:
1. You can find an excellent primer on how to cover Islam at ReligionLink, affiilated with Religion Newswriters Association. This is a must-read and includes sources, basic tenets of the faith, and links to Muslim organizations.
2. BeliefNet‘s “What is Ramadan” is a helpful article to understand the basics of the observance.
3. To find out how Ramadan is calculated, based on the new moon, check out the Fiqh Council website. It explains why the observance in the U.S. may be a day earlier than that in Saudi Arabia and other countries.
4. For social justice issues for Muslims, see the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR.
5. Andmake sure you don’t make common mistakes that offend Muslims, by reading these helpful tips from ReligionLink, “Things Journalists Should Be Aware Of.”
Because Ramadan now falls in the hottest part of the year in many U.S. states, one story lead is to brainstorm how the heat affects Muslim athletes or family summer l activities.