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Ramadaan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims
throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to
God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for
their spiritual lives. The third "pillar" or religious obligation of
Islam, fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most
important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the
lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites
during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is
given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming
closer to God. Ramadaan is also a time of intensive worship, reading
of the Qur'an, giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing
good deeds. As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing
hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning
to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fasting
is also beneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle
of rigid habits or overindulgence.
The month of Ramadaan Briefy explained
Ramadaan is the ninth month of the Muslim Lunar calendar. The Month
of Ramadaan is also when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down
from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a
means of Salvation".It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is
called the Fast of Ramadaan and lasts the entire month. Ramadaan is a
time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on
the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and
contemplation .
During the Fast of Ramadaan strict restraints are placed on
the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink
during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also
forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken
with prayer and a meal called the iftar. The fast is resumed the
next morning.
The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed
by - the telling of a lie,slander,denouncing someone behind his
back, a false oath,greed or covetousness.These are considered
offensive at all times, but are most offensive during the Fast of
Ramadaan. Thus one of the objectives of this month for a Muslim is to
purify himself / herself from ill characteristics that are within
one. A spiritual cleansing through a physical action.
During Ramadaan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid
(Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran.
In addition to the five daily prayers, during Ramadaan Muslims recite
a special prayer called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The
length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily
prayers. Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer.
In the last ten nights of this month, Muslims search for a
special night called Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is
believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation
of the Holy Quran. And according to the Quran, this is when God
determines the course of the world for the following year. When the
fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated
as a "holiday" called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking).
Friends and family gather to pray in congregation. Meals are
prepared and family and friends have a joyous day. |
The Importance of Ramadaan to Muslims
Ramadaan is important for Muslims is because it is believed to be the
month in which the first verses of the Holy Qur’an (the divine
scripture) were revealed by Allah (God) to Prophet Muhammad (570-632
C.E.). From time to time, Muhammad used to go out from Makkah, where
he was born and where he worked as a caravan trader, to reflect and
meditate in solitude. Like Abraham before him, he had never accepted
his people’s worship of many gods, and felt a need to withdraw to a
quiet place to reflect on the One God. One night, while
contemplating in a cave near Makkah, he heard a voice call out,
telling him to “Read!” Muhammad protested that he was unable to
read. The voice insisted again, and then a third time, and Muhammad
found himself reciting the first verses of the Qur’an:
“Read, in the name of thy Lord, Who created—Created man, out of a
clot (embryo).Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,He Who taught
the use of the pen—Taught man that which he knew not.Nay, but man
doth transgress all bounds,In that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient.Verily,
to thy Lord is the return (of all).” (ch.96: 1-8)
The voice was that of the angel Gabriel, and he confirmed that
Muhammad was selected for an important and challenging mission—he
was to call people to monotheism and righteousness.
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Muslims consider the Qur’an to be
God’s speech recorded in the Arabic language, and transmitted to
humanity through Muhammad, who is considered the last of the
prophets. This tradition of God-chosen prophets or messengers is
believed to include such figures as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
David, and Jesus. Muslims believe that over a period of twenty-three
years, various verses and chapters of the Qur’an were revealed to
Muhammad through Gabriel. The Qur’an is comprised of 114 chapters of
varying length, with titles such as “Abraham,” “The Pilgrimage,”
“Mary,” and “Repentance.”
During Ramadaan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day.
This means not consuming food and drink, including water, during the
daylight hours. For married adults, it also includes refraining from
marital relations during the hours of fasting (i.e. the daylight
hours). In the Arabic language, fasting is known as sawm. Muslims
arise early in the morning during Ramadaan to have a pre-dawn
breakfast meal, known as suhoor. At the end of the day, the fast is
completed by taking the iftar meal, which usually includes dates,
fresh fruits, appetizers, beverages and dinner. Later in the
evening, Muslims attend special nightly prayers(called tarawih) at
their local mosque. Each night during Ramadaan, approximately 1/30th
of the Qur’an is recited in the tarawih prayers, so that the entire
scripture is recited in the course of the 29 or 30 days of the
month.
Why Muslims Fast
For Muslims, fasting has a number of benefits:
1. It helps one to feel compassion for those who are less fortunate
and underprivileged, since each day Muslims feel greater
appreciation for what they have as a result of feeling hunger and
thirst.
2. It allows one to build a sense of self-control and will-power,
which can be beneficial throughout life in dealing with temptations
and peer-pressure. Through fasting, Muslims learn to control their
natural urges such as hunger and thirst, and thus are able to better
resist temptations for things which are not necessary, such as drugs
or other unhealthy or harmful substances and behaviors.
3. It offers a time for Muslims to “purify” their bodies as well as
their souls, by developing a greater sense of humility, spirituality
and community. Ramadaan is a very spiritual time for Muslims, and
often they invite each other to one another’s homes to break the
fast and pray together. A greater sense of generosity and
forgiveness is also characteristic of this time.
As with other duties in Islam, fasting becomes obligatory (i.e. one
becomes accountable) after the age of puberty.
Eid ul-Fitr
After the end of Ramadaan, a very festive and joyous holiday is
celebrated by Muslims, known as Eid al-Fitr [eed ul fit-ur], the
Festival of Breaking the Fast. On the day of the Eid, Muslims attend
special congregational prayers in the morning, wearing their nicest
clothes and perfumes. After the completion of prayers and a special
sermon, Muslims rise to greet and hug one another, saying “Eid
Mubarak,” which means “Holiday Blessings.” Later on, Muslim families
visit each other’s homes, and have special meals together. Children
are often rewarded with gifts, money, and sweets.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON Ramadaan AND FASTING
"O Believers! Fast is prescribed for you as it was for those before
you so that you may ward off evil. (Fast) a certain number of days."
(Qur'an: Chapter 2, Verses 182-183)
Every year in the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims
around the world abstain from food, drink, vain talk and certain
other actions from before sunrise until after sunset.
Q: What is Ramadaan?
A: Ramadaan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. In this month
Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to dusk.
Q: When does Ramadaan begin?
A: Muslims follow the Islamic lunar calendar which is about eleven
days shorter than the Georgian calendar. The beginning of the
Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon.
Thus Ramadaan begins on a different day each year.
Q: Is it not an inconvenience to begin the fasting period at
different times during a year?
A: No, on the contrary the lunar calendar gives us a chance of
fasting during different seasons of the year. Throughout a Muslim's
lifetime, Ramadaan will fall both during winter and fall months, when
the days are short, and spring and summer months, when the days are
long and the fast is little more difficult. In this way, the
difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between Muslims living
in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Q: What is meant by fasting during Ramadaan?
A: In Ramadaan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and other
sensual pleasures from dawn to dusk. The fast is performed to obey
God’s command with an aim to inculcate discipline, humbleness and
self-restraint, to experience what the poor and destitute feel, and
to develop the noble habit of generosity.
Q: How did the fast during Ramadaan become obligatory for Muslims?
A: The revelations from God to Prophet Muhammad that would
eventually be compiled as the Qur’an began in the year 610 CE. The
fast of Ramadaan did not become a religious obligation for Muslims
until the year 624 CE. The obligation to fast is explained in the
second chapter of the Qur’an: "O ye who believe! Fasting is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye
may become careful about your duties toward God ... Ramadaan is the
(month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind,
also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and
wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that
month should spend it in fasting..." (The Qur’an, Chapter 2, verses
183 and 185)
Q: Do Muslims gain anything from fasting?
A: The main benefits of Ramadaan are an increased humbleness and
compassion for those in need of the necessities of life, a sense of
self-purification and reflection, and a renewed focus on
spirituality. Muslims also appreciate the feeling of togetherness
shared by family and friends throughout the month. Perhaps the
greatest practical benefit is the yearly lesson in self-restraint
and discipline that is carried forward to other aspects of a
Muslim's life.
Q: Isn't it difficult to perform the fast ?
A: In many ways, fasting becomes easy as the inculcation of fasting
is ingrained from a young age. Infact , it is awaited by young and
old with renewed enthusiasm every year. In Muslim countries, most
people are observing the fast, so there are fewer temptations such
as luncheon meetings, daytime celebrations and offers of food from
friends.
Q: Do all Muslims fast in Ramadaan?
A: Fasting is compulsory for all Muslims who are mentally and
physically fit, past the age of puberty, in a settled situation (not
traveling), and are sure that fasting is unlikely to cause real
physical or mental injury.
Q: Who are exempted from fasting?
A: The following are exempted from fasting during Ramadaan: Children
under the age of puberty, the sick, seniors for whom fast causes
unbearable hardships, pregnant women for whom fasting is harmful for
self or for the fetus, nursing mothers who fear that fasting causes
difficulties for the self or the child she nurses, the menstruating
women, the travelers on journeys and those who are mentally
incapacitated or not responsible for their actions.
Q: What about children, can they fast voluntarily?
A: Muslim children under the age of puberty can fast with the
permission and supervision of their parents. The parents will help
them develop the practice of fasting gradually so that when the
children reach the age of puberty they are mentally and physically
prepared to fast in Ramadaan. If a child cannot or does not feel like
continuing the fast, he/she will be allowed to break the fast before
dusk without blame or penalty.
Q: How can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who is
fasting?
A: Employers, co-workers and teachers can help by understanding the
significance of Ramadaan and by showing a willingness to make minor
allowances for its physical demands. Special consideration can be
given to such things as requests for vacation time, the need for
flexible early morning or evening work schedules and lighter
homework assignments. It is also very important that Muslim workers
and students be given time to attend Eid prayers at the end of
Ramadaan. Eid is as important to Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur
are to Christians and Jews.
Q: What are the traditional practices for the month of Ramadaan?
A: Many practices can be seen in various cultures and ethnical
groups. However, the following practices are universal among all
Muslims.
1.Suhoor, i.e. Waking up before dawn to eat something before
the commencement of the fast.
2.Iftaar, i.e. Breaking the daily fast with a drink of water
and dates at dusk.
3.Tilaawah, i.e. Qur’an Recitation. Most Muslims recite
1/30th of the Holy Qur’an every night so as to complete reciting the
entire Holy Qur’an during the month.
4.Giving of alms and charity are highly recommended during
this month.
Q: Are there any special events during Ramadaan?
A: The most important event is the celebration of Laylatul Qadr.
Q: What is Laylatul Qadr?
A: Laylatul Qadr, i.e. "the Night of Power & Grandeur" marks the
anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad received the
Qur’an from God, through the angel Gabriel. An entire chapter in the
Qur'an deals with this night: "We have indeed revealed this
(Message) in the Night of Power: and what will explain to thee what
the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand
months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by God’s
permission, on every errand. Peace!...This until the rise of morn."
(Chapter 97) Muslims believe Laylatul Qadr is one of the last
odd-numbered nights of Ramadaan.
Q: What is Eid ul Fitr?
A: Eid ul Fitr is the Festival of Fast-Breaking. Celebrations at the
end of Ramadaan begin with special morning prayers on the first day
of Shawwal, the month following Ramadaan on the Islamic lunar
calendar. It is forbidden to fast during Eid because it is a time
for relaxation. During Eid Muslims greet each other with the phrase
"Eid Mubarak" (eed-moo-bar-ak), meaning "blessed Eid". Some also say
"May God accept your deeds [you performed during Ramadaan]". |
VOCABULARY:
Ramadaan — the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during
which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.
Sawm — Arabic word meaning “fasting.”
Suhoor — the pre-dawn breakfast meal eaten before beginning
the daily fast.
Iftar — the evening meal, taken after sunset to break the
daily fast.
Tarawih — special prayers offered nightly during Ramadaan, in
which approximately 1/30th of the Qur’an is recited each night.
Eid al-Fitr — Festival at the end of Ramadaan, in celebration
of completing the month of fasting. This takes place on the 1st day
of the next month, Shawal.
Muhammad — a prophet and righteous person believed by Muslims
to be the final messenger of God, whose predecessors are believed to
include prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus, among
others.
Gabriel — Muslims believe that among God’s many creations are
angels. Gabriel is believed to be one of the most important angels,
as he was responsible for transmitting God’s divine revelations to
all of the human prophets, ending with Muhammad.
Allah — the Arabic name for the One God.
“Eid Mubarak” — a greeting used by Muslims during the Eid
holidays. It means “Holiday Blessings!”
Makkah (Mecca) — the sacred city of Muslims, in modern-day
Saudi Arabia, where the Ka’bah (house of worship built by
Abraham) is located.
Masjid — Muslim house of worship. (also known as “mosque.”)
Monotheism — belief in One God.
Polytheism — belief in many gods.
Qur’an (Koran) — the holy book of Muslims containing God’s
revelation to Muhammad.
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