Source: Burlington Union
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On September 29, 2005 the Burlington Union reported, "Muslims are getting ready for the start of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, commemorating the time Muslims believe the truth of the Koran - the holy book of Islam - and other sacred texts were revealed to them through the prophet Mohammed... This year, Ramadan will be a time for many to remember losses sustained by victims of disaster, including the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf region. 'There have been so many incidents. You have to be thankful you live in a the part of the world where these phenomena don't occur,' said Bilal Yaqub, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Burlington mosque. 'You're going without food even though your fridge may be full'... In many respects, both the tsunami and the recent hurricanes have had an impact on the local community. In December, area mosques supported members with family or friends in the hard-hit countries, including Indonesia and India, which have large Muslim populations. Recently, a family who evacuated from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina came to the mosque seeking assistance, said Imran Shariff, imam at the mosque."