On the first full day of Islam's most sacred month of Ramadan, the faithful who have gathered at the Masjid Ibaadillah in South-Central Los Angeles are filled with decidedly down-to-earth questions.

If we fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan--a duty prescribed as one of Islam's five pillars of practice--can we use mouthwash or toothpaste to sweeten stale breath? One woman declares her love for televised wrestling matches, a man for jazz. Are those off limits, too, in keeping with dictates to fast with eyes and ears as well as mouth? (Complete text at http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/islam/a122698.htm)