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Sai Vichaar 01.Feature of the Week: Ramzan 02.Prayer Club 03.Sai Activities 04.Quotation of the Week 05.From the Editor's Keyboard 06.Submit your article to Sai Vichaar 07.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 08.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... Sai devotees residing in Maryland, Baltimore and Washington DC areas and those visiting the said areas are requested to refer to Sai Activities for information on Sai Mandir in Potomac area. Please contact Sai devotee Shri Sharma at 301-983-5555 for directions and other details. Thanks to those contributors who have started to use the article submission page for sending material to Sai Vichaar. Sai Vichaar and SSBWSO request all contributors to use the contribution submission page for submitting any material to Sai Vichaar. Sai Vichaar humbly requests the cooperation of all readers and devotees in this matter in helping to expedite the processing of your contributions to Sai Vichaar. If you have any questions concerning the use of this form, please contact web site administrator. Question of the week" for this week is What are the similarities between Sainath of Shirdi and Jesus of Nazareth? Humbly yours, The Editor
Disclaimer Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or the Shirdi Sai Baba web site organization is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors.
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Baba's views on the unification of religions are of eternal nature. His universal message of brotherhood beyond the religions is well depicted in Sri Sai Satcharitha vide Chapter VI in the English version where an account is given on how Baba permitted both Ram Navami, a Hindu festival and Urs, a Muslim celebration to be celebrated together.
The holy month of Ramzan is very auspicious and significant to the Muslims all over the world. It is celebrated on the day after the crescent moon (Idd ka chand) is sighted during the 10th lunar month of the Islamic calendar. The Muslims are ordained to observe fast for 30 days starting with the sighting of the new moon and end it after seeing the new moon a month later. Holy Quran is believed to be compiled during this month. Prophet Mohammad who compiled this was an illiterate person. But he was chosen by God to be His messenger. He would get "Vahi" (inspiration from God), and would speak out spontaneously. All these utterings were written down by His disciples and during this month they were compiled in the form of the holy Quran. It is believed to be a message from God to the mankind. Ramzan is considered as a period signifying discipline and declaration of subservience to the laws of God, enumerated in the holy Quran. A Muslim is told to give Sadaqa (charity) and Fitra (alms given during Ramzan) to the poor before the Idd prayers and recite Quran intensively during the holy month. The last 10 days of Ramzaan are more important as the faithful watch for Lailathul Qadr (the Night of Power) during which the revelation of the book to the Prophet was completed. Observers keep awake all night praying or listening to sermons by Ulema or the high priest. The fasting during Ramzan is mandatory for all healthy adult Muslim men and women. Those who cannot fast, have to arrange to feed at least one needy person in lieu of the days one missed out on fasting. Fasting is practiced by followers of all religions in one form or other. It is said to enable one to understand the privations of hunger and thirst and be kind to the poor and the needy. Ramzaan is a month of brotherhood, compassion and festivity and the rigor of fasting ends with the celebration of Idd.
V. Kathpalia
Sai Mandir, Potomac, Maryland, USA
Blessed is Sai’s life. Blessed is His daily routine. His ways and actions are indescribable. Sometimes, he was intoxicated with Brahmanand (divine joy), and at other times content with self knowledge. While doing so many things sometimes, he was yet unconcerned with them. Though, he seemed at times quite actionless (doing nothing), He was not idle or dozing. He always abided in His own self. Though He looked calm and quite as the placid sea, He was deep and unfathomable. Who can describe His ineffable nature? - in "Sri Sai Satcharitha" by Hemadpanth, English version by Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji.
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