HOLY MONTH SENDS SIMI MUSLIMS ON NIGHTLY JOURNEY.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

For Mahmood Jadwet and other local Muslims, it would be a blessing to be able to observe the month of Ramadan in town.

But for Jadwet and other Muslim faithful, this holiest of months presents a special problem - getting to where they can observe their evening prayers in the manner prescribed by Islamic law.

As it is, Jadwet says he and the others must car pool every night to the nearest mosque, the Islamic Center of Northridge about 17 miles away, for the nightly reading of the Koran.

Jadwet said he wants to change that by next year, when he hopes there will be a place in Simi Valley for local Muslims to gather to hear the imam, or prayer leader, recite the Koran - a 90-minute nightly process that is an integral part of their observance of Ramadan.

``The more difficulties we overcome to serve Allah, the better it is in the eyes of Allah - but it doesn't mean we have to keep it that way,'' said Jadwet, 42. ``In fact, it is much better in the eyes of Allah to start your own (place) instead of depending on someone else.''

There is a mosque in neighboring Newbury Park, the Islamic Center of the Conejo Valley - but in driving time, it's about as far away as the Northridge center.

During Ramadan, keyed to the lunar month, Muslims observe the revelation of the Koran to the prophet Mohammed. The observance also includes a daily fast that begins at sunrise and ends at sunset. Ramadan began this year Jan. 9 and will end Feb. 8.

Every day during the celebration, there are several periods of prayer, including the night prayer during which the Koran is recited, Jadwet said.

The recitation takes about 90 minutes and is performed by the imam, who has the Muslim holy book memorized, he said.

But the nearest place for Simi Valley and Moorpark Muslims to go is the Northridge mosque on Tampa Avenue. The 17-mile trip is complicated by the fact that local faithful tend to car pool there, and collecting passengers adds to the time taken up for the trip. Jadwet has joined with about seven other people to car pool to the Northridge mosque.

``This is only one group that does the traveling, but other groups do the same,'' he said.

Jadwet estimates that there may be up to 150 Muslim families in Simi Valley and Moorpark.

Officials with the Northridge mosque said they can provide Jadwet's group with an imam who can recite the Koran, but the group will have to find a local place for the service, Jadwet said.

The place doesn't have to be big - about 1,000 square feet would do nicely, Jadwet said - and the costs could be shared among the Muslims who would use it for the month.

It's too late to do anything about this year's Ramadan. But there are enough Muslims in the area to make it feasible for a large group to band together to find and pay for a space in time for next year's holy month, he said.

``What we are looking for is awareness,'' he said.

One of those in Jadwet's car pool group is Mahmood Bholat of Moorpark, who

has lived in the city since 1978 and has learned to adjust to the long distance and other hardships posed by not having a local mosque.

By finding a place closer to home, he said, more local Muslims will be encouraged to observe the holy month, which he said is also referred to as the month of patience.

As it is, the group that goes to Northridge frequently doesn't return home until 10:30 p.m. or so - which can test the patience of some, he said.

``We have definitely adjusted, but this is the month of patience - the more you do, the more reward you get,'' Bholat said.

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3 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Mahmood Jadwet, left, stands with fellow Muslims as he leads the beginning of the nightly Ramadan prayer at his home in Simi Valley.

(2) With their heads toward Mecca, Muslims pray in observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

(3) A meal is laid out for the end of the Ramadan fast, which lasts from sunrise to sundown.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News