What’s Ramadan?

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Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, considered by Muslims to be the holiest month of the entire year. His reverence means the revelation of the Holy Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. During this month, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. The word Ramadhan comes from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, meaning ‘intense heat and dryness’. It is an apt name for the month when Muslims endure the heat of hunger and thirst.

Ramadan begins with the sighting of the new moon and ends when the first crescent of the next new moon rises, declaring the start of a new month called Shawwal. The first day of Shawwal is marked by a joyous celebration called Eid ul-Fitr, which means “Festival of Breaking the Fast”. This festival begins with special congregational prayers in mosques or Islamic centers followed by abundant feasting and socialising.

There are some important things that Muslims observe during Ramadan:

1. Fasting. The act of abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse is so prevalent during the month that people often misunderstand that Ramadan means fasting. Actually, the Arabic word for fasting is sawm. Fasting begins with suhoor, which is a light meal or snack at dawn, and ends with iftar or breaking the fast, a full meal soon after sunset.

Fasting has two faces and involves the physical and spiritual aspects of Islam. Physically, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking or having any form of sexual contact from sunrise to sunset. Spiritually, Muslims refrain from negative habits, such as gossiping, swearing, lying, and bad-mouthing others. Also, Muslims avoid obscene images and sounds.

Fasting removes the distraction of worldly pleasures and allows Muslims to focus on inner reflection and increased purity of thought and action. Ramadan is the month to pray, do good deeds and spend time with family and friends. It is also a time to remember the poor and how they suffer from having even one meal a day. Indeed, at the end of Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to give fitra, an amount of charity sufficient to feed one person for one day.

Muslims who find fasting a problem are not obligated to perform a month-long fast during Ramadan. The elderly, very young children and the sick are exempt from fasting. Those who have a temporary condition that prevents them from fasting are required to make up for lost days after Ramadan. Whether their condition is permanent or prolonged over a long period of time, they may provide charity to feed one person in need for each day lost.
2. Laylat al-Qadr. Also known as the Night of Destiny (Will), this is the holiest night during Ramadan. It is the night that the Holy Quran was first revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. While the exact night remains a mystery, it is believed to be one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, specifically the odd numbered nights between the 21st and 29th.

Muslims are encouraged to seek this night through ardent prayer. The Holy Quran has stated that this single night’s prayers are better than the prayers of a thousand months. This night’s seekers will be blessed manifold, whereby all their sins will be blotted out as if they were born again.
3. Tarawih prayers. Consisting of eight to twenty raka’ahs, Islamic prayer units, these optional prayers are performed every night during Ramadan. Tarawih prayers can be performed congregationally at the mosque or individually at home. At the mosque, the entire Holy Quran is recited for these prayers. The 114 chapters of the holy book have been conveniently divided into 30 equal sections, one for each night of Ramadan.

Ramadan is an opportunity for Muslims to cultivate greater awareness of Almighty God. It is a month of spiritual cleansing and reflection on past deeds and a time for Muslims to think about their religious future. During this time, Muslims come together with one goal: to serve God according to his instructions and the practice of his messengers.

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