專四晨讀美文：Ramadan in America

Ramadan in America
America is a nation of 292 million people.
There are estimates that 6 million of them are Muslim.
The government does not ask people their religion,
so it has no official numbers.
But Islam is often described
as a fast growing religion in the United States.
Media around the country have stories about
activities at local Islamic centers during Ramadan.
In Maryland, the Al-Rahmah Mosque in the Baltimore area
uses its basketball court as a dining room.
The Baltimore Sun newspaper says 200 to 300 people
gather for their evening meal.
Muslims are supposed to avoid food and drink
from sunrise to sundown during Ramadan.
In the central United States,
the director of the Islamic Center of Lawrence, Kansas,
says as many as 200 people go to daily prayers
during a normal month.
But he tells the Journal-World newspaper
that the number can grow to 500 during Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
To Muslims, it was the month in the year 610
when the Prophet Mohamed received the knowledge from God
that would become the holy book, the Koran.
Many Muslims give presents to children during Ramadan.
This year, a company in the state of Michigan
is selling a number of toys designed for Muslim children.
One of the most popular is a doll called Razanne (rah-ZAN).
Razanne looks different from Barbies and other dolls for girls.
All seven dolls in the series
wear the traditional Muslim head covering.
Their arms and legs are also covered.
One is a schoolgirl. Another is a teacher.
Ammar Saadeh established NoorArt,
the company that created the Razanne doll.
Mister Saadeh says the doll provides
a good example for Muslim girls.
There is also a Praying Razanne.
It comes with a prayer rug
and what the company describes as a small Koran-like book.