Muslims celebrate holy month of Ramadan

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
Ethnic Communities

Ramadan has begun and Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga wishes all Muslims in New Zealand the best for the holy month.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is regarded as the time in which the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. To mark this event, Muslims around the world fast for a month.

It is a time for reflection, spiritual devotion and renewal. Muslim families come together to celebrate their faith and their communities. By fasting, praying and through acts of charity, they give thanks for the health and happiness of family and friends.

“In New Zealand, Ramadan is an opportunity for us to recognise the important contribution our Muslim communities make to our nation,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

According to the 2013 Census there are more than 46,000 people in New Zealand who identify as Muslim, double the number in 2001. While many are recent migrants, Muslims have been a part of New Zealand’s economic, cultural and social fabric since the 1800s.

“As New Zealand Muslims celebrate Ramadan, some may be thinking of relatives elsewhere in the world. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this important time,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.