Ramadan

This article is about religious observances during the month of Ramadan. For the actual calendar month, see Ramadan (calendar month).

Ramadan or Ramazan (Arabic: رمضان, Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Angel Gabriel, to deliver it to Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of (sawm), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer even more prayer than usual. During Ramadan Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance into the future, ask for help in refraining from everyday evils and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

Name origin

The name "Ramadan" is the name of the ninth month; the word itself derived from an Arabic word *rmd as in "ramida" or "ar-ramad" denoting intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. It is considered the most venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month.

Laylat al-Qadr, which is thought most probable to occur during an odd night in the last 10 days of Ramadan, so it might be the 21, 23, 25, 27 or the 29 of Ramadan (as Sunni thoughts), and nights of 19, 21 or 23 (as Shī‘ah thoughts) is considered the most holy night of the year. It is the night in which the Quran was sent down to Muhammad. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr, on which feasts are held. During the month following Ramadan, called Shawwal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days, known as as-Sitta al-Bayḍ or "the white six".

Practices during Ramadan

Fasting

Main article: Sawm

The most prominent event of this month is the fasting (sawm) which should be practiced by All Muslims. Every day during the Blessed month of Ramadan Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, and perform the fajr prayer. They do not eat or drink anything after this prayer is said, until the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib (sunset), is due. Muslims may continue to eat and drink after the sun has set, until the next morning's fajr prayer.

During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual thoughts and activities during fasting hours are also forbidden.^{[Quran 2:187]} Purity of both thought and action is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God Almighty. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, and sympathy for those who are less fortunate. It is also intended to make Muslims more generous and charitable.

Those with severe health problems related to eating are exempt from fasting. One reason for this could be that lack of food and liquid in these situations could be detrimental to one's health. While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood,(which ends at puberty), many children endeavour to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life.

Many observant Muslims anticipate which part of the sidereal year (as opposed to the Islamic Calendar) Ramadan will fall on. A summer Ramadan requires much longer fasting and shorter overnight periods of recovery than a winter one.

Paradoxically studies have shown that some populations actually gain weight during Ramadan. In their research Frost and Price(2) showed it was due to compensatory increased calorie intake overnight.

Prayer and reading of the Qur'an

Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Istanbul in Ramadan (the writing with lights called mahya)

Fanoos Ramadan, Cairo

Eid Ul-Fitr meal, Malaysia

In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an.

Sunni Muslims tend to perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (juz, which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited.Therefore the entire Quran would be completed at the end of the month.Tarawih is an Arabic phrase referring to those extra prayers. This prayer is performed after prayer salah of the night Isha'a, but before the witr rakat. Tarawih are not practiced by Shī‘ah Muslims.

Muslims also pay Zakat during the month.It is only applicable if one can afford it. For those who qualify to pay Zakaat, as per the Islamic Nisab (that is those whose wealth exceeds their necessities), of the leftover of their wealth earned in that Islamic calendar year. Although Zakat can be paid any time of the year, it has to be calculated on a year to year basis, and many Muslims use Ramadan as the month for calculation and disbursement.

Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment, establishing a link between God Almighty and themselves by prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others.

Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involved – the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the Iftar meal (the meal to break the Fast).

In many Muslim and non-Muslim countries with large Muslim populations, markets close down in the evening to enable people to perform prayers and consume the Iftar meal (the meal to end the fast) – these markets then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours. During the whole Ramadan season (about 29 to 30 days) , Muslims will not eat or drink from the brink of dawn (about 1 hour and 20 minutes before sunrise) until sunset.

Events of Ramadan

Laylat al-Qadr (Arabic: لیلة القدر) literally the "Night of Decrees" or "Night of Measures", is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe that it was the night in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that any acts of worship undertaken on this night are rewarded in multiple thousands in comparison to the same act of worship done on any other day. There are two schools of thought on date of this event. Some Muslims are of the opinion that it lands on the 27th night of Ramadan while others believe that it may be any one of the last odd nights.

The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, as per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the Fast; a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (‘Zakat al-Fitr’), everyone puts on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two rakaahs only, and it is an optional prayer as opposed to the compulsory five daily prayers.

Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan that begins after Eid ul-Fitr; these days need not be consecutive. According to hadith, one who fasts the month of Ramadan and six days during Shawwal will be rewarded as though he fasted the entire year.

Separate Lunch Tables during Ramadan

At a public school in the United States, Muslims are often granted a separate lunch table to fast at during Ramadan so they don't have to watch other people eat. Many people saw this as discrimination against non-Muslim religions and asked for separate lunch tables for Catholic students during Lent. After much arguing, the lunch tables for Catholic students were allowed on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays during Lent.

References

• Fasting Laws: Laws Governing Fasting in Islam.
• Yusof, Mimi Syed (2005-10-30). "When Raya was a bewildering experience". New Straits Times: p. 8. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

• 2. Frost G, Pirani S. Meal frequency and nutritional intake during Ramadan: A pilot study. Human nutrition: Applied nutrition, 1997, 41(A):47–50

External links

• What is Ramadan? - Quick Guide
• Ramadan Naat Mp3s Download & Listen
• What is Ramadan? What do Muslims gain from fasting?
• Information on Ramadan and other stuff
• Meaning of fasting in the month of Ramadan
• Ramadan Timetable UK & Ireland 2008. Ramadan Timetable UK online for all Muslims living here in the UK and Ireland.
• Ramadan Screen Savers, Wall Papers, Useful Links and Knowledge about Ramadan
• Ramadan Prayer Time son Mobile Phones
• Ramadan Prayer Times software for 6 Million cities in the world
• Ramadan Resources and Reading
• An Idiot's Guide to Ramadhan - In-depth basics from the BBC
• Everything to know about Ramadan. Comprehensive website about Ramadan. Articles, audio, video, children games, downloads and much more.
• Ramadan Kareem Global Blog. Comprehensive blog about Ramadan.

Articles, audio, video, Links, downloads,Questions and Answers and much more.

• Observing Ramadan in Morocco. The experience of a Canadian English Teacher during the Holy Month – Compiled by Glimpse Magazine
• www.FastRamadan.com The Muslims Holy Month of Fasting – Official Website.
• Ramadan Mubarak - The Holy Month of Islam – Special Report
• Nokia Ramadan Applications – suite of software applications for Nokia S60 smartphones with Ramadan information and resources.