A holiday season starts later today — but it’s not the one that may pop into the minds of most Iowans. Muslims will begin a month-long period of fasting and reflection called Ramadan. A Cedar Falls man who is an active Muslim says the fasting lasts from sunrise to sunset.Mohammed Fahmy is chief of Industrial Technology at the University of Northern Iowa. During the month, Fahmy says the Muslim faithful are to abstain from food, drink and other pleasures between dawn and sundown to learn self-restraint, discipline and generosity.Fahmy explains Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam — the other four are: declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and a pilgrimage to Mecca.While the dates vary from year to year, this Ramadan season begins at sundown tonight and ends on January 8th with a feast.
