" The Night of Power commemorates Mohammad receiving the first verses of the Qur'an. Thus, the Laylat al-Qadr is the essence of Ramadan itself. Worshippers around the world spend the entire night in prayer because Laylat al-Qadr is believed to contain the spiritual power of a thousand months. I have stayed up with my family during the Night of Power and the experience is like nothing else. To be in a room full of people praying and worshipping at the same time does indeed feel like a Night of Power. However, Laylat al-Qadr is not my favorite time of Ramadan. Ramadan comes to an end with a giant feast called Eid al-Fitr. The feast can only take place after the next month's new moon is spotted in the sky because the sighting of the crescent moon marks the beginning of the next month and the end of Ramadan. Usually the celebration feast means seeing relatives and friends we do not see often....

The banquet can be as large as a wedding or as small as a family dinner, depending on the circumstances that year. I have been witness to both large and small celebrations. It does not matter how large the feast is because no matter what, we celebrate joyfully.
A enjoy talking about my religion and heritage with my non-Muslim friends. Most of them are curious about Islam and it has helped me learn more about my religion rather than just take it for granted. During this Ramadan, a friend of mine fasted with me. Even though he is not Muslim, he supported me by refraining from eating during the day and he even read some of the Qur'an with me. I appreciated his interest in Islam so much so that we invited him over for the Eid al-Fitr. It was the first time our family had invited a non-Muslim to the feast and the symbolism represented for me exactly the essence of Ramadan and Islam.