By Ariella Plachta, L.A. Daily News
During the holy month of Ramadan, Ihab Elannan typically is surrounded by hundreds of people breaking their daily fast in the courtyard of his Anaheim restaurant, enjoying his cooking and the warm spring nights.
All year long, he looks forward to his special shish barak, a dish of labor-intensive, meat-stuffed dumplings he cooks in yogurt stew. In a usual month of Ramadan festivities, his Little Arabia Lebanese Bakery and Cuisine eatery turns the equivalent of eight months in profit. But this year, as coronavirus stay-at-home orders persist and COVID-19 deaths spike, its unlikely there will be festive meals shared among extended family and friends. …
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of Islam, along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity and pilgrimage to Mecca. The end of Ramadan is marked by communal prayers called Eid ul-Fitr, the Feast of the Fast-Breaking, on May 24.
“The fast is performed to increase spirituality, discipline, self-restraint and generosity while obeying God’s commandments,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR-LA, Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization.
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