Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, March 27, 1990
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Muslims begin month of fasting, abstinence
Islamic event helps develop consciousness
Kansan staff writer
By Sandra Moran
Korean staff writer
About 200 KU students last night began a month-long observance of Ramadan, an Islamic religious event.
The observance includes a fast, which lasts each day from dawn to sunset. Muslims must abstain from food, drink, tobacco and sexual intercourse. They also must refrain from gossip and unkind thoughts.
Anjum Akhtar, Topika sophomore,
she planned to observe Ramaal-
"The hardest part is your attitude," she said. "The point of Ramadan is moderation in your life. It's a time where you learn to discipline yourself."
She said that the fasting was not
Jeffrey Lang, associate professor of mathematics and an American Muslim, said the observance had three key components.
difficult and that by the end of the day she was not excessively hungry. In preparation for Ramadan, Akhtar the had been eating less during the day.
Lang said it was sometimes difficult for Muslim students to observe the holiday while attending school. Some students wait until they return home in the summer to observe the fast.
Lang said the fasting was done to create a consciousness to God and to mankind, and to develop emotional strength.
"By fasting for a full month, you hopefully develop the strength and will to help your fellow man," he said.
that is believed to be God's final revelation.
Only healthy Muslim adults over the age of 13 observe Ramadan. The young, sick, elderly and pregnant are excused from observance.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic religious calendar and is revered as the month in which the Prophet the Koran was made to Muhammad.
Because it is based on the lunar calendar, which is 11 days shorter than a solar day, Ramadan cannot be permanently assigned a date on the lunar calendar. Lunat night's first moon signified the beginning of the observance.
Mohabbat said the observance began with a prayer recited by memory from the Koran. Some Muslims, like Mohabbat, recite one of the 29 units of the Koran each day of Ramadan.
Gretchen Picenberger/KANSAN
Local humane society records increases in number of strays picked up during spring break
"It's mainly a dedication to God," said Tariq Mohabbat, Lawrence senior. "It is observed to purify human beings."
The Koran is the holy book of Islam
Akhtar said Ramadan concluded with Eid-ul-fitr, a day in which a lamb is given to the poor. The act is symbolic of the lamb sacrificed by Abraham instead of his son Ishmael.
20150329175842
Many stray dogs were left by students while on spring break.
By Christine Reinolds Kenson staff writer
She is a black and white spotted puppy with blue pleasing eyes that would melt an iceberg. As possible owners walk by her cage, she barks in hope of catching someone's attention.
Because of an increase in strays during spring break, last week the Lawrence Humane Society, 1805 E. 19th, destroyed 27 animals. This puppy and other animals could also be killed if they are not soon adopted or reclaimed.
During spring break about every cage at the shelter was filled, said Janet Trombley, shelter employee. It was the highest level since October 1989. The society's capacity is about 50 cages.
The cages are usually one-half to three-fourths full, Trombley said. This was yesterday's occupancy level.
Strays are kept 72 hours and are then put up for adoption. If they are not adopted, they eventually will have to be killed because of lack of space, said Roma Tesch, shelter manager.
"We try to keep the animals as long as we can," Trombley said. "Nobody wants to care for them, so we try to help the animal spend whatever time it has left in dignity."
Lt. Mike Reeves, officer in charge of animal control officers for the Lawrence police, said the average number of stray animals picked up each week was 13. The department, consisting of two anti-control officers, recorded animals picked up during spring break.
Tesch said the recent increase in strays could have been due to people leaving town without providing a place for their pets to stay. She said the warm weather also brought more animals out.
"We notice a problem around
Christmas and spring breaks, when people are traveling," Tesch said. "Before spring break we had two girls come in who were leaving for Florida and could not find a veterinarian to board their puppies. They signed them over to us; I guess they had to go to Florida."
Usually May, June and July have the highest occupancy rate, partly because of warm weather the animal mating season, she said.
The problem of unclaimed animals versus adoption seems to balance out in May, she said. Students who have lived in resi-
tues and are moving to apartments in the summer want to adopt pets.
Those who want to adopt the animals are charged $45 for cats and $60 for dogs. The animals are given shots before they are allowed to be adopted.
Owners are required by state law to spay or neuter their pets after adopting them. Tesch said many people break their adoption contract and breed the animals, thereby contributing to more strays.
"If not one puppy were born this year, there would be no problem next year," said Sue Orrell, shelter employee.
The shelter also investigates cruelty reports and takes animals to nursing homes to cheer up the residents, Tesch said.
The shelter is financed by donations and a city budget that covers the 72-hour holding period for the strays.
Last year, 2,137 animals had to be destroyed, 805 were adopted and 611 were reclaimed by their owners, Tesch said.
Despite a delayed allergy season, headaches, running noses and watery eyes are rites of spring.
Frigid weather reduces pollen, delays allergies
By Steve Bailey
Winter weather last weekend might not have been convenient for all KU students, but it could delay the beginning of allergy season, a Watkins Memorial with Center official said yesterday.
Kansan staff writer
Charles Yockey, Watkins chief of staff, said allergy season, which usually begins April 1, probably would not begin until April 10.
"Normally, we begin to see an increasing number of students early in April." Yockey said. "The pollen count begins to rise, and allergies start acting up. We will peak at mid-April, but the freeze will probably slow down the beginning."
"This year we saw some cases a little early," he said. "There was one day when the pollen count went up from 400 to 1,400 in less than a month, and the many period to be from about April 10 to about May 10."
Yockey said the warm weather several weeks ago had prompted some allergy problems earlier than expected.
Most allergies during this time of the year originate from flowery shrubs and plants, such as dogwood or cottonwood trees.
'Normally, we begin to see an increasing number of students early in April. The pollen count begins to rise, and allergies start acting up. We will still peak about mid-April, but the freeze will probably slow down the beginning.'
"People are allergic to different
types of pollen," he said. "There is no magic pollen count number that shows when someone will have problems. Some students who are more allergic to pollen in grass will not be highly affected until June when people begin moving their lawns regularly."
Yockey said most students who came to Watkins needed medicine to help the uncomfortable effects of their allergies, such as runny nose, headache, nasal congestion and watery eyes.
"Most students do not need allergy shots when they come here," he said. "Many of the problems we see are nuisance
problems. But a few students have trouble sleeping or concentrating, and some can develop sinus infection which can be very uncomfortable.
One way to help avoid serious allergy problems was to keep windows closed when pollen counts were high. Yokev said.
"Problems arise when the pollen count rises and people start sleeping with their windows open," he said. "It would be better for them to use the heating or cooling systems in their living area if possible to limit complications."
"Medications fall into some general categories," Thrasher said. "Most of the ones we carry are antihistamines and decongestants. There are some over-the-counter medicines, but most are prescription."
Cathy Thrasher, Watkins pharmacist, said different types of medication were available at Watkins students suffering from allergies.
Decongestants are medications that eliminate or reduce congestion and swelling of the lungs and nasal passages. Antihistamines are medications that block the passage of histamines, which are released in allergic reactions and can cause the uncomfortable symptoms of allergies.
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