| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 613 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Ramadan, the ninth month of the year on the Islamic |
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| 6 | 6 | | calendar, is a time when Muslims in Texas and around the world focus |
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| 7 | 7 | | on peace and self-improvement; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, On the Muslim lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan |
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| 9 | 9 | | begins and ends with the sighting of the crescent moon; Muslims |
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| 10 | 10 | | affirm their spiritual beliefs by fasting from sunrise to sunset, a |
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| 11 | 11 | | practice that is one of the Five Pillars of Islam; it cultivates |
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| 12 | 12 | | self-discipline, gratitude, and compassion for those less |
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| 13 | 13 | | fortunate; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Fasting is a requirement of all Muslims who have |
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| 15 | 15 | | passed the threshold of puberty, with exemptions for those with |
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| 16 | 16 | | certain conditions, such as pregnancy or illness; each day of |
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| 17 | 17 | | abstention from eating and drinking is bracketed by the first meal |
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| 18 | 18 | | of the day, Suhoor, and the meal that breaks the fast, Iftar; many |
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| 19 | 19 | | mosques host daily community dinners where people can break their |
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| 20 | 20 | | fast together; families often invite guests to Iftar and then |
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| 21 | 21 | | proceed to the mosque for the nightly prayer and a special Ramadan |
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| 22 | 22 | | prayer, taraweeh, during which the prayer leader recites at least |
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| 23 | 23 | | one thirtieth of the Qur'an, in order to recite the entire Qur'an by |
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| 24 | 24 | | the end of the month; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Ramadan is a time of intense reflection and |
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| 26 | 26 | | spiritual rejuvenation, with more precious moments devoted to |
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| 27 | 27 | | reading the Qur'an and performing appropriate prayers; moreover, |
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| 28 | 28 | | adherents participate in charitable giving, and many mosques hold |
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| 29 | 29 | | food drives and fundraisers for philanthropic organizations; some |
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| 30 | 30 | | mosques host open houses to welcome friends and neighbors of other |
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| 31 | 31 | | faiths to share the bounty of Iftar; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, The end of Ramadan is marked by a major holiday, Eid |
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| 33 | 33 | | ul-Fitr; a special prayer and sermon in the morning are followed by |
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| 34 | 34 | | a community celebration, and friends and family spend the day |
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| 35 | 35 | | socializing, eating, and reuniting with old acquaintances; food, |
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| 36 | 36 | | games, and presents for children are important elements of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | festivities; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, While concentrating on spiritual growth during |
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| 39 | 39 | | Ramadan, Muslims also strengthen the bonds of community and express |
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| 40 | 40 | | their faith through efforts in behalf of the collective good, and it |
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| 41 | 41 | | is truly fitting to acknowledge the deep significance of this |
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| 42 | 42 | | important season; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Legislature hereby recognize the holy month of Ramadan 2023 and |
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| 45 | 45 | | extend to Muslims across the Lone Star State sincere best wishes for |
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| 46 | 46 | | a meaningful and joyous observance. |
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| 47 | 47 | | Bhojani |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 50 | 50 | | I certify that H.R. No. 613 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 51 | 51 | | 30, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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