Deployment
To Afghanistan
Things you need to know
Afghan culture is different than our own, as you know. They are mostly Sunni Muslims and live a different lifestyle with different rules than us. Their dress is different; they usually have the least amount of dress possible without showing anything. As long as it covers it's great for them. Although you may see some fancy clothing here and there.
Their main beliefs
Due to the break out of violence in Afghanistan, religion will most likely be a huge pert of their lives. We want be on the afghans good side, so we are going to have to learn their beliefs. Their holy book is the qur'an or Koran. It is sacred to them, like the bible would be to Christians. Also like Christians, They believe in only one God, although they call him Allah.
Foods to eat and foods not to eat
Halal (permitted foods)
- . Rice. Pasta. Any grain product, such as bread, breakfast cereal or baked goods prepared without Haram ingredients. All vegetables and fruit: raw, dried, frozen or canned.. All vegetables and fruit cooked or served with water, butter, or vegetable oils. Milk. Yogourt, cheese and ice cream made with bacterial culture or microbial enzymes, e.g. microbial rennet. Meat and poultry slaughtered according to Islamic dietary law ("Zabihah). Seafood. Eggs. Nuts, seeds. Peanut Butter. Tofu. Halal deli meats. Dried beans, peas and lentils. Beverages: carbonated drinks, fruit juice, punch, cocktails, tea and coffee. Fats and oils: butter, margarine, mayonnaise, vegetable oils and some salad dressings. Miscellaneous: chutneys, coconut milk, jam, pickles, spices. Desserts made with agar and/or carrageenan base only. Sweeteners: honey, sugar, syrup, chocolate liquor (roasted ground cocoa bean syrup). Main dish entrées: any Zabihah meat or alternative dish, pizza, pasta or rice prepared without Haram foods and ingredients.mSoups/sauces: any made without Haram foods and ingredients. Desserts and sweets: any made without alcohol, or without pure or artificial vanilla extract
Haram (not permitted foods)
- Any grain products prepared with Haram ingredients such as alcohol, animal shortening, lard or pure and artificial vanilla extract. Any vegetables and fruit prepared with alcohol, animal shortening, bacon, gelatin, lard or some margarines which contain monoglycerides or diglycerides from an animal source. Cheese, yogourt, ice cream, frozen tofu desserts made with animal rennet, gelatin, lipase, pepsin, pure or artificial vanilla extract or whey. Pork and pork products, e.g. bacon, deli meats, ham and sausage. Blood used as an ingredient or used in preparing the food. Meat and poultry not slaughtered according to Islamic dietary law. Canned beans, peas and lentils containing pork. Any meat and meat alternative dish prepared with alcohol, pork products or animal shortening. Beverages: beer, wine, alcohol, liqueur. Fats and oils: animal shortening, lard. Miscellaneous: chocolates/candies made with alcohol or pure or artificial vanilla extract. Desserts made with gelatin. Sweeteners: chocolate liqueur (made from alcohol. Main dish entrées: any combination foods prepared with Haram foods and ingredients. Soups/sauces: any prepared with Haram foods and ingredients. Desserts and sweets: any prepared with alcohol, pure or artificial vanilla extract or any other Haram ingredient
Just don't eat this
- Pork and its by-products e.g. gelatin, lipase, pepsin. Meat from animals not slaughtered according to the Islamic dietary law. Alcohol and foods prepared with alcohol e.g. candies and cakes that include alcohol such as rum cake. Foods made with pure or artificial vanilla extract (vanilla is prepared with alcohol). Foods containing blood and blood by-products e.g. blood pudding. Foods made with any of the following: whey prepared with non-microbial enzyme, rennet, animal shortening, monoglycerides and diglycerides from an animal source, sodium stearoyl-lactylate, L-cysteine.
Important Holidays and holy days
The month of Ramadon is a special month for Muslims. In the ninth Month of the Islamic calendar Muslims fast for 29-30 days. At the end of Ramadon, Eid-al-fits begins, a celebration that lasts for three days and includes a large feast. Arafat day is also a special day to Islam. On the ninth day of the month Hajj, the Muslims make a journey from Mecca to Mina, a small in inhabitarded village to the east of the city. Here they do a mixture of praying and meditating. On the second day the pilgrims leave Mina to go to The plains of Arafat. At Arafat they release their sins and are relieved if pain. Just after sunset they leave for Muzdalifah, where they will pray.