Source: The Times-Picayune
On October 31, 2002 The Times-Picayune reported that "thousands of Muslims in the greater New Orleans area will begin their annual fast of Ramadan on Wednesday at the sighting of the new moon, observing one of the five pillars of Islam. The remaining pillars of Islam are the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Ernest Abdullah is the principal of the Clara Muhammad School at 2700 Magnolia St., a ministry of the New Orleans Masjid Al-Islam, a mosque with about 200 members in the New Orleans area. He describes Ramadan as a time of 'abstaining from the things that are good for us. It's like exercise. It stimulates your muscles. If you can stay away from the good things, you can stay away from the bad things.'"