Every year , more than 1 billion Muslims around the Earth observe the grandness of the calendar month of Ramadan . This time of the twelvemonth is a metre for reflection , devotion to God , and ego - control . During the calendar month of Ramadan , Muslims show their devotion to God by fasting , or abstain from food for thought .
Many religions encourage some variety of fast for religious aim . For instance , Catholics give up core for Lent and Jews fast during the holiday ofYom Kippur . For Muslims , fasting is a very important ingredient of Islam . The benefit of fast for Ramadan are numerous . The most important , though , is the estimate that through the ego - dominance of fast one can pay special aid to their spiritual nature .
Ramadan is an important prison term for Muslims , not but because it help develop a closer relationship with God , but also because Ramadan is a metre to think about those who are less fortunate . Another goal of fast for Ramadan is to experience hunger in sympathy for those without food . It is a way that many Muslims learn appreciativeness and discernment for what they have .
Here , we examine the import of Ramadan , the custom of fast , how the prison term of Ramadan is determined , Eid al - Fitr ( the end of Ramadan ) and the benefit of watch over the holiday .
What Is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of theIslamic calendar . Because Islam practice a lunar calendar , Ramadan begins and ends at a different prison term each year . The way the lunar calendar ferment is that the commencement of each month begins with the sighting of the new moon . The lunar calendar is about 11 day shorter than the solar calendar used in much of the westerly world . To learn more about the various calendars of the yesteryear and present , seeCalendar Zone .
The start of Ramadan each yr is base on a compounding of sighting of the moon and astronomic calculations . In the United States , many Muslims adhere to the conclusion of theIslamic Society of North Americaon the start of the holiday . The end of Ramadan is determined in a standardised way .
The Meaning of Ramadan
For Muslims , Ramadan is a month of blessing that includes prayer , fasting and Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae . The meaning of Ramadan go back many 100 , to about 610 C.E. It was at this time , during the ninth month of the lunar calendar , that Muslims believe God , or Allah , disclose the first verses of the Qu’ran , the holy book of Islam .
According to Islam , a caravan trader appoint Mohammed was walk in the desert near Mecca . This occurred in what is now Saudi Arabia . One dark a vocalism called to him from the sky . It was the angel , Gabriel , who told Mohammed he had been chosen to meet the word of Allah . In the Day after , Mohammed began talk the rhyme that would be transcribed as the Qu’ran .
At many mosques , during Ramadan , verses from the Qu’ran are recited each dark . The prayers are have it off astarawih . By the end of Ramadan , the complete Holy Writ has been narrate . Ramadan is a time when Muslims can link with the teachings of the Qu’ran .
The main component of Ramadan is the fasting . Next , we ’ll recover out how Muslims practice the fast of Ramadan and the meaning of the fasting to the Moslem faith .
How Is Ramadan Celebrated?
During Ramadan , Muslims practicesawm , orfasting . Of of course , no one is required to fast for an full month . The practice of fasting during Ramadan means that Muslims may not eat or drink in anything including water while thesunis shining . Fasting is one of thefive pillarsor duties of Islam . As with most other spiritual exercise in Islam , Muslims participate in the fast from the age of 12 .
One of the most important prospect of the Ramadan fast is calledniyyah . Niyyah literally mean " intention . " Muslims must not plainly or unexpectedly abstain from food ; they must reach the requirement of niyyah . To achieve this requirement , a Muslim must " intend in warmness that [ the fast ] is meant to be a worship for Allah alone . " So , if someone fasts for political or dietary cause , he would not achieve niyyah . In fact , allot to scripture , " Whoever does not make niyyah before morning , would not have fast . " The purpose to fast is equal in importance to the loyal itself .
In much of the Muslim world , restaurants are close up during the daylight 60 minutes of Ramadan . Families waken up ahead of time , before the sunshine rises , and exhaust a meal calledsohour . After the sun sets , the degraded is bump with a meal callediftar . Iftar often begin with eating dates and perfumed drinks to give fasting Muslims a quick energy encouragement , and it is a rich repast . It can let in any type of food , but the dessert almost always includeskonafaorqattayef . Konafa is a cake made of straw , sugar , love , raisin and crackpot . Qatayef is a similar patty , but it is smaller and is fold to encase the nut and raisins . In between the two meals , the night - fourth dimension iftar and the pre - dawn sohour , Muslims can eat freely .
fast is so authoritative to Muslims for a number of reasons . First , when you are not yield attention to your mortal pauperization such as food , you may be able-bodied to become more in tune with God and your spiritual side . Also , the flying answer to remind Muslims of the suffering of the poor . This theme reinforces the importance of Polemonium caeruleum during Ramadan .
Fasting gives Muslims an chance to practice self - control and cleanse the eubstance and mind . Many cultures and religions use fasting for this purpose . During Ramadan , fasting avail Muslims with their religious devotedness as well as in formulate a feeling of affinity with other Muslims .
As the history goes , Ramadan is the calendar month in which Allah contacted the prophet , Mohammed , to give him the verses of the holy al-Qur’an , or Qu’ran . As such , pray during Ramadan is specially crucial . Muslims say nightly petition whether it is Ramadan or not , but thetarawih , or Ramadan nightly prayer , carries extra weight .
According to scripture , " Whoever observes nighttime prayer in Ramadan as an locution of his religious belief and to assay reward from Allah , his previous sins will be blotted out . " Thus , the Ramadan nightly supplicant , after a twenty-four hours of fast , serves the intention of eradicating the sin that have been antecedently committed . In this fashion , the nightly prayer is an authoritative element of the rituals of Ramadan .
At the terminal of Ramadan and before the break of the debauched , Muslims saytakbeer . The takbeer is a command indicating there is nothing in the mankind that is freehanded or greater than Allah . Takbeer is always say when a Muslim completes an significant task , as in the completion of the fast of Ramadan .
Translated , thetakbeerexclaims , " Allah is the Greatest , Allah is the Greatest . There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah , and Allah is greatest . Allah is the great and all kudos is due to Allah . " It is urge that men say the takbeer out loud and women say it mutely . Takbeer is a sign that the festivities of Eid Al - Fitr have begun . It is a joyful program line of faith and accomplishment .
Eid al-Fitr
Ramadan is considered the most joyful month of the year , and the calendar month ends with the big solemnization of all , the breaking of the fast , Eid al - Fitr . Around the worldly concern , Muslims celebrate with luminousness and decorations . In Egypt , " fanoos " — lanterns made of tin and colored looking glass — adorn street and mosque . In the past times , children fiddle with the lanterns in the street . In many areas , the current age of cars pretend this unsafe , but the custom is still practiced in home and at Eid al - Fitr gatherings .
During the celebration , multitude curry in their finest clothes , decorate their home with lights , give treats to the children and visit with friends and household . fit in to many , a sense of generosity and gratitude are a major part of Eid al - Fitr . brotherly love and doing good deeds is a very important part of Ramadan . The month will often consist of Muslims help to feed the misfortunate and puddle donation to their mosque . When Muslims end the month of fasting , they are left with the many benefit that Ramadan go forth behind .
According to Muslim tradition , Ramadan :
During the calendar month of Ramadan , Muslims gain more than a cleansing of the consistence and mind . Muslims finger that they are doing the work of arrive close to Allah through prayer , and are becoming more compassionate people by experiencing hungriness , learning about the suffering of the misfortunate . The fasting of Ramadan is a primal experience in the Islamic faith .
