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The Month of Ramadan
Muslims have unique themes in their practice of Islam. One of the essential teachings of Muhammad and Allah is for a Muslim to honor the month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan causes Muslims to change their ordinary lifestyle and submit to the teachings of the Quran.
Allah revealed the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. It was to become the holy book from which all Muslims would get Islamic instructions for daily living.1 The instructions included the observance of the 9th month as a sacred month in the calendar of Islam (Bullard and Conger 200). Therefore, the month became known as Ramadan. The revelation occurred during the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr.2 Muhammad then used the Quran to convert people to Islam. The month of Ramadan became the holiest month for Muslims.
The profession of Islamic faith, prayer, fasting, giving alms, and pilgrimage are the essential Islamic practices (Aloian 136). Fasting is the Ramadan tradition that forms part of the five pillars of Islam. It shows the importance of Ramadan to a practicing Muslim. It is the sacred moment when Muslims have to forfeit food and any pleasure so that they can reflect on the goodness of Allah.
During the month, there are special rituals to observe. The ritual fasting is an obligation where Muslims must abstain from food and drinks.3 They start from daybreak to evening. They have to be holy and avoid sinning. But there are exceptions. They include the children who have not reached puberty, people suffering from a medical condition, and breastfeeding (Anderson, Conger and Frese 256). The women who are in their menstruation period are not allowed to fast. However, those who missed the moment can redeem the Ramadan afterward.
It is the chief Kadhi in collaboration with the Imam who announces the start of Ramadan after sighting the new moon. 4 Because the moon appears at different times in various places, the starting and ending can vary. It causes the Ramadan event to change by about 11 days each year. The eating habits change during Ramadan. Due to its holiness, Muslims participate in Taraweeh prayers in the evenings.
Muslims ask for forgiveness for their past sins (Aloian 136). They also thank God for guiding and blessing them. It is a moment to express their total dependence on God. They also have to adhere to the teachings of Islam and avoid any actions or words that might lead them to sin. They stay away from areas that may tempt them to sin. They should also be in good relations with their fellow Muslims.
The fast takes place daily from dawn to dusk during Ramadan. Muslims have a pre-dawn meal called Suhur (Bullard and Conger 200). They eat very early in the morning before the sun comes out. During the evening, they assemble for prayers at the mosque and recite long Quran verses. They then meet with families and friends for Iftar (Hackney Blackwell 386). It is the evening meal that Muslims use to break the fast.
Prophet Muhammad used to start by eating dates. Most Muslims do the same. They use this occasion to show kindness to others. Non-Muslims can also participate in the fast, prayers, and Iftar meals.5 People can express their care to the fasting Muslims by greeting them with Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem. It is to wish them a blessed or generous Ramadan. Traditionally, Ramadan begins with two cannon shots and another two in the morning of Eid al-Fitr.6 One cannon shot daily prepares Muslims for the beginning of Al Maghreb prayer and hence indicating that Muslims can start their Iftars (Stetkevych 462).
The fast is self-sacrifice by the Muslims to show compassion to the hungry. They join up in Muslim communities to help the less fortunate in society. They fundraise for the poor and also give clothing and other wares. They also donate food for the hungry and the needy in the community. There is also the chance where they prepare Iftar dinners for the needy. During Ramadan, Muslims are required to read the Quran. Some read the entire Quran.7 Others ensure that they have daily scriptures to go through. Some divide the Quran into segments that they can read and recite until they conclude Ramadan on Eid al-Fitr (Sell 265).
Eid al-Fitr is the feast of breaking the fast. It is usually a three-day event that includes special prayers and meals. It marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of another lunar month called Shawwal. The chief Kadhis declare this first day after sighting another crescent new moon on completion of the 30days of fasting. It is this first day of Shawwal that is Eid al-Fitr (Anderson, Conger and Frese 256). It is the time when the Muslims have completed their fasting and the return to their daily disposition. They can eat, drink, and have intimate relations with their spouses. The Sunni and the Shia Muslims both perform two Eid al-Fitr Rakkah prayers. They both end with Khutbah prayers
Ramadan encourages Muslims to become givers. They need to support their colleagues. They deny themselves the essentials of life for them to empathize with other people’s suffering. By doing this, they purify their hearts and move closer to God’s caring attributes.
Works Cited
Aloian, Molly. Ramadan, New York, N.Y.: Crabtree, 2009. Print.
Anderson, Sheila, Holli Conger, and Pamela R Frese. Ramadan, Edina, Minnesota: Magic Wagon, 2010. Print.
Bullard, Lisa, and Holli Conger. Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Millbrook Press, 2012. Print.
Hackney Blackwell, Amy. Ramadan, New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2009. Print.
Sell, Edward. The Faith of Islam, New York: Barnes & Noble, 2011. Print.
Stetkevych, Suzanne Pinckney. The Mantle Odes, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010. Print.
Footnotes
- Aloian, Molly. Ramadan, New York, N.Y.: Crabtree, 2009, 136.
- Anderson, Sheila, Holli Conger, and Pamela R Frese. Ramadan, Edina, Minnesota: Magic Wagon, 2010, 256.
- Bullard, Lisa, and Holli Conger. Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Millbrook Press, 2012, 200.
- Anderson, Sheila, Holli Conger, and Pamela R Frese. Ramadan, Edina, Minnesota: Magic Wagon, 2010, 256.
- Hackney Blackwell, Amy. Ramadan, New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2009, 386.
- Stetkevych, Suzanne Pinckney. The Mantle Odes, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2010, 462.
- Sell, Edward. The Faith of Islam, New York: Barnes & Noble, 2011, 265.
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