Brazilian Muslims perform the Maghrib prayer at Tariq Bin Ziyad Mosque in Sao Paulo (Al Jazeera)

São Paulo -

At the entrance to the Tariq bin Ziyad Mosque on the eastern side of the city of São Paulo, you can hear people chanting in Portuguese - under the non-stop summer rain - for the sunset prayer.

You can also hear Brazilian names mentioned from time to time: men, women, and children, some of them wearing Arab costumes and hats that Muslim clerics are accustomed to wearing. These are the new Muslims performing the Maghrib prayer after drinking water and eating a few dates placed on a modest table in the corner of the mosque.

The mosque is divided into two prayer halls, one for men and the other behind it for women, separated by a curtain. As soon as the prayer ends, everyone goes up to the upper hall to eat breakfast, which consists mostly of Arabic foods and sweets, which are prepared in a kitchen specially prepared for this purpose in the mosque. Iftar time extends until eshaa pray.

Sheikh Hussam Al-Bustani (center left) sits with a number of new Muslims after breakfast (Al-Jazeera)

an opportunity

As soon as most of the fasting people finish their breakfast, Sheikh Hossam Al-Bustani gathers a group of these new Muslims of different ages at one table to have coffee, which is an opportunity for Al Jazeera Net to dialogue with them and understand the nature of their feelings and the difficulties they face, such as hunger and thirst, and society’s view of them in Ramadan.

In standard Arabic, but with a strange accent, Marcelo Cipolla tells Al Jazeera Net, "There are no difficulties in Ramadan. It is the month of mercy. I feel that Ramadan is an opportunity to cleanse the tongue and purify the heart and mind so that we may come to know the will of God."

He added, "I am not stingy with God. I practice all acts of worship during Ramadan and at other times. There are no difficulties. On the contrary, I wait for Ramadan in the summer to fast more."

Laudolino Lima Venancia says, "The Ramadan atmosphere encourages contemplation and contemplation of God. Unfortunately, I do not fast. I have a special health condition that prevents me from doing so, but I pay expiation. For me, Ramadan is one of the ways that brings me closer to God."

As for Gabriela Fernandez Cardoso, she explains, “I feel very difficult during Ramadan because of extreme thirst. This is the first Ramadan for me. When my colleagues at work learned that I was fasting and that fasting means abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, they took a beautiful initiative towards me. They all fasted with me.”

She adds, "But despite the difficulties I face, I feel that God's mercy is descending this month. Nothing compares to that, and it gives true value to things that have value. I pray to God that I become the first Brazilian female Islamic scholar (sheikha)."

New Muslims in Brazil gather around the dining table in the upper hall of Tariq bin Ziyad Mosque (Al Jazeera)

Fusion

In turn, Antonio Roberto Bahos, who called himself Muhammad Ragheb, says, “This month I have a wonderful feeling and overwhelming, indescribable happiness. I fully perform my religious duties during it, but the difficulties are a joke. Worship and suhoor are fun, breakfast is happiness, and the remaining time outside the framework of worshiping God is considered excessive.” meaningless".

The difference and multiplicity of cultures and languages ​​does not seem to be an obstacle or problem to the integration of Muslims and their harmony with each other, and you can hear in the breakfast hall more than one language spoken by people, such as Portuguese, which is a language used by the majority of attendees because of its ease of communication, in addition to Arabic, French, and English.

Bahos says, "I live in a remote place where there are no Muslims, and for this reason I feel grateful to be among my Muslim brothers here during Ramadan. I feel a sense of belonging and unity with the community, and that I am part of a whole."

He continues, "I make sure to pray Tarawih a lot with them, and distribute my zakat al-Fitr and money. As for the Arabic language, it does not pose any problem for me in terms of worship in Ramadan or other months."

Laudolino (right) says he is making progress in learning the Arabic language (Al Jazeera)

Muslim unity

Laudolino comments, "I feel that the Islamic community has the ability to absorb everyone, especially new Muslims, in addition to the fact that Muslim unity strengthens brotherhood of faith. As for learning the Arabic language, it is one of the very advanced things in my life if it is done. Although I read Arabic well, I find... Very difficult to understand."

As for Gabriella, she confirms, “Our presence together for prayer and breakfast makes me feel that we are all moving on the same path and for one goal, which is to please God. I perform dhikr and Tarawih prayers more during Ramadan, and I give alms to the poor according to my ability, and I distribute, for example, some meals or some clothes.”

She adds, "Despite my inability to memorize many Qur’anic verses in Arabic, I feel extremely happy to hear the Qur’an recited in Arabic during Ramadan."

For his part, Marcelo says, "Our presence in a group breakfast like this makes me feel lonely and strong in faith. I perform all my religious duties, and I give a short sermon between one supplication and another about Ramadan and the concepts of fasting and piety in the mosque where I pray near my house."

He continues, "There are many pleasures in this month. I spend special time with my children, who are counting the days waiting for Eid al-Fitr in order to receive the Eid gift. Although I speak Arabic tolerably, I still suffer from my inability to understand the Qur’an well in Arabic." .

Source: Al Jazeera