The Islamic Cham ethnic community in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang are celebrating their traditional Ramadan festival, starting their one month of fasting from June 25.
The festival, which falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, has special meaning for the Islamic Cham. On these days, Islamic followers from 15 years of age abstain from food and drink during the daytime in order to understand the lives led by poor people, teaching them patience and humility.
Ramadan also offers Muslims in the province an opportunity to review their rights and wrongs and work towards becoming better followers of Islam and better citizens to society.
The Islamic Cham ethnic community in An Giang is one of the province’s four largest ethnic groups, along with the Kinh, the Hoa and the Khmer. With a population of more than 15,300 people, they live mainly on traditional brocade weaving, cattle farming and agricultural production.