Ways of Knowledge (WOK) during the Holiday of Ramadan Language- Language functions as a symbol capturing and communicating thoughts and experiences. The first morning of Ramadan my father and three brothers attend mosque. There we listen to the Imam who preaches about the holidays, virtue and the importance of repenting and making up with people during the holidays. He talks about the Quran, Allah and prophet Mohammed. We obtain knowledge through his rhetorical language describing religion.
After his preach everyone prays following the Imam facing Makah.
During the prayers the imam recite the Quran in its Arabic text. The WOK of language appears three times, in Turkish, English than Arabic. Emotion- Muslims have two major holidays a year, similar to Christians who have Christmas and Easter. Ramadan is the bigger of the two and would be the equivalent of Christmas for Muslims. The WOK in emotion is present during this holiday. People build up excitement from weeks before.
People begin to prepare weeks before the actual 3 days of the holiday.
It’s not as big of a deal here because there isn’t as much of a Muslim population but in countries where Muslims are the majority it is a national holiday and there is a holiday spirit from weeks before. Sense Perception- Some people may perceive the holidays as the best time of the year but this could be our sense of perception. We may perceive it to be the best and happiest time of the year when it may be no different from another time or day of the year.
Areas of Knowledge- Human Sciences- If we follow the sense of perception from the ways of knowledge we could say that phycology plays a big role in this holiday. People feel everyone should be happy during the holidays so they feel they should also be happy. Math- Every year the three days of Ramadan are different because it follows a lunar calendar. It involves a mathematical area of knowledge to figure out the date of the holiday. Ethics and Politics- The holidays are preached to be a time of peace.
I remember hearing on the news during Ramadan this summer that Turkey stipulated a ceasefire with the guerrilla warfare terrorist in southern Turkey. The news reported that the PKK broke the cease fire and it was looked down upon by the whole country and Muslim community in the region. Also Ramadan and Eid, the two holidays for Muslims are supposed to be times of the year that Muslims repent for their sins and it’s said that Allah is the most forgiving in these days that is why people are supposed to take these days off and get together with family and friends to make up and repent.