Dear Jamal,

Many thanks for the insights into the Islamic texts. It is pleasing to see
people of all creeds and colours being brought together with a common
interest in olives whether growing, table, oils etc it is a common bond or
thread that has great powers to deliver good. I am in Australia and as a
very new country in comparisson to the Middle east and the more ancient
cultures that gave birth to many of today's religions. Being some what
distant to the rest of the world we have had very little contact with other
peoples beliefs and religions, although this is changing with new arrivals
into Australia. The older one becomes the more you realise the peoples of
the world have many more similarities that can be used as a cohesive energy
then differences.

I feel quietly confident that the peoples of the world are becoming more and
more educated and tolerant of our small differences especially with the
advent and accessibility of television and now the internet with the
increasing use of emails that is dissipating national boundaries. By this I
mean we need to maintain, encourage and respect national differences but use
these as a positive.

Thanks again for the insight into another world.
All the best to everyone.
Love & peace
Sharn Hunkin

----- Original Message -----
> Dear All
>
> Since we are in the spirit of holidays, I would like to wish you all
> happy holidays and prosperous new year.
>
> As a muslim, we also have holidays that I thought in the spirit of
> diversity in this wonderful group that I would introduce you to
> them.
>
> 2000/2001 Islamic Holidays
>
> Ramadan: November 27, 2000 - December 26, 2000
> For over 1.2 billion Muslims throughout the world, Ramadan is a
> special month of the year. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast
> from dawn to sunset every day. Ramadan was the month in which the
> first verses of the holy Qur'an were revealed to Prophet Mohammad
> (Peace Be Upon Him). It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to
> God and self-control. The sighting of the new moon at the end of
> Ramadan heralds the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr.
>
>
> Eid-ul-Fitr: December 27, 2000, Shawwal 1, 1421
> The celebration at the end of Ramadan is called 'Eid-ul-Fitr (the
> Festival of Fast-Breaking). It is a joyous occasion, similar to
> Christmas in its celebration but with strong religious significance.
> The giving of a special charity for this occasion is obligatory.
> Muslims dress in holiday attire, attend a special community prayer in
> the morning, and visit friends and relatives. Greetings of "'Eid
> mubarak," or "a blessed 'Eid" are exchanged. In some places, children
> are given gifts or money by their parents and relatives.
>
>
> The celebration of 'Eid-ul-Fitr lasts three days, although the main
> festivities occur on the first day. Students and workers of all ages
> take time off from school and work whenever possible. Muslims in the
> United States are trying to gain recognition of 'Eid-ul-Fitr, one of
> their two main festivals, as an official holiday.
>
> Hajj: February 25, 2001 / Dhul-Hijjah 1, 1421
> The Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah is a central duty of Islam whose
> origins date back to the time of Prophet Abraham (PBUH). It brings
> together Muslims of all races and tongues for one of life's most
> moving spiritual experiences. For 14 centuries, muslims from all over
> the world will converge on Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the Hajj or
> Islamic pilgrimage. Each year, roughly two million followers of the
> Islamic faith participate in the pilgrimage, which constitutes the
> world's largest international gathering.
>
>
> One of the five "pillars" or essential acts of worship in Islam, the
> Hajj is obligatory at least once in a Muslim's lifetime, if
> conditions permit. The purpose of the pilgrimage is the same for
> every pilgrim who makes the journey: the worship of God at the Sacred
> House in Mecca, the Kabah. According to the Qur'an, the sacred
> scripture of Islam, believed to have been revealed by God to Prophet
> Muhammad in the sixth century of the Christian era, the Kabah was
> built by the Prophet Abraham and his son, Ishmael, also a prophet, in
> ancient times. Abraham instituted the pilgrimage and established its
> rites around the Sacred House. Many centuries later, these rites were
> re-established by Muhammad.
>
>
> The most important day of the pilgrimage is the ninth day of the
> Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah. On this Day of Arafat , the huge throng
> of pilgrims spends the afternoon at the vast Plain of Arafat,
> believed to be a prototype of the gathering place of the Last
> Judgment, praying for God's forgiveness and mercy. They then move on
> to the next station of the pilgrimage.
>
> The Hajj is a profound spiritual experience for Muslims, taking them
> back to the origin of their God- centered faith in the prophet
> Abraham. It is also a time of experiencing the brotherhood and
> equality of humanity. It was this experience that led Malcolm X to
> cast aside his racist views and embrace what he called the "oneness
> of Man. . . under one God."
>
> Eid-ul-Adha: March 6, 2001 / Dhul-Hijjah 10, 1421
> The Festival of Sacrifice, 'Eid ul-Adha, immediately follows the Day
> of Arafat (see above). This festival is celebrated throughout the
> Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham's willingness to
> sacrifice everything for God, including the life of his son Ishmael.
> Because God spared Ishmael, substituting a sheep in his stead,
> Muslims commemorate this occasion by slaughtering an animal and
> distributing its meat among family, friends and the needy as a
> special act of charity for the occasion. Because of this, many poor
> Muslims are able to enjoy the unusual luxury of eating meat during
> the four days of the festival.
>
>
> Islamic New Year: March 26, 2001 / Muhararam 1, 1422 The Islamic
> year is based on the lunar cycle, consisting of twelve months of 29
> or 30 days each, totaling 353 or 354 days. Each new month begins at
> the sighting of a new moon. Actual dates may differ by a day or two
> from the above dates. In many places, the moon-sighting is often
> determined in advance by astronomical calculations.
>
> ------------------------------------
> Olive mentioned in the Quran:
>
> Quran - The Light 24:35 "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the
> earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and
> within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a
> brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the
> east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire
> scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah guides whom He will to His
> Light: Allah sets forth Parables for men: and Allah knows all things."
>
> Quran - The Believers 23:20 "Also a tree springing out of Mount
> Sinai, which produces oil, and relish for those who use it for food."