You must have seen your Muslim neighbours, friends or colleagues fast during the month of Ramadan.
Here are 7 things that you might want to know about this spiritual month.
1. Why Do Muslims Fast in Ramadan?
Islam is built on 5 pillars and fasting in the month of Ramadan is one among them.
The others being: Declaration of faith, Daily prayers, Obligatory Charity and Pilgrimage to Mecca.
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous – (Surah Al Baqarah:183)
2. Why Is It Special?
- It is the month in which The Holy Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
- ‘The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.’ (Surah Al Baqarah:185)
- The month in which the Laylathul Qadr (The Night of Decree) which is better than a thousand months appears.
- The month of Ramadan is the spring time of virtues and good deeds.
- Rewards of Obligatory deeds are increased by Seventy Times.
- It is the month in which the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.
3. When Is Ramadan?
- The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar calendar of 12 months. Each month starts with the new crescent moon and lasts either 29 or 30 days.
- Ramadan is the 9th month among the 12 months in Islam.
- The commencement of Ramadan is known by one of the 2 signs:
the sighting of the new moon crescent by a trustworthy person, or by
the completion of thirty days of Sha’baan.
4. What Deeds Do Muslims Perform In This Holy Month?
- Muslims fast every day during Ramadan, starting at dawn and ending at dusk.
- A pre-dawn meal (suhoor) is taken before fasting. It is delayed until just before the adhaan of Fajr.
- The fast is broken with iftaar meal at the exact moment of sunset. It is beloved to break the fast with fresh dates.
- The fasting person restrains from all backbiting, hate-mongering, falsehood etc. Fasting is not just emptying your stomach but also abstaining from all kinds of negative desires and urges.
- Muslims also spend more time on reading the Qur’an and indulge in worship.
- They perform special prayers called Salat-ut-Taraweeh after every evening’s last daily prayer (Isha).
- They observe I’tikaf: to remain in Mosque in order to perform worship.
- A charity called Zakat-ul Fitr - An obligatory charity on every Muslim who has food that is surplus to his and his family’s needs - is given on the last night of Ramadan and Eid festival day.
5. Who Are Obliged to Fast?
Fasting is mandatory on every Muslim who is sane, adult, able and resident.
But there are certain exceptions;
- Individuals who are suffering from any form of physical sickness and fears that fasting would worsen their health.
- Travelers under certain circumstances.
- Women undergoing menstruation and Post-partum bleeding.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can break the fast if they feel that their child’s health is at risk.
The reason why some are exempt is because Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship.
6. What Is the Purpose of Fasting in This Month?
- To control desires and protect one’s faculties.
- To cleanse human minds from evils and vices and to train to keep away from them.
- To develop a reluctance to worldly desires.
- To experiences how the poor feel; when a fasting person feels the pangs of hunger he would feel compassion and an empathy to provide something for the poor and hungry.
- To train a person to be organized and punctual.
- To remind oneself of the Hereafter.
7. How Does It Conclude?
Muslims have two main festivals- Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
- The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid-ul-Fitr.
- The meaning of the word "Fitr" is "opening (of something)”. So Eid al Fitr would literally mean, "festival of breaking of the fast."
- Eid al-Fitr is the first day of the succeeding Month-Shawwal. Thus, by seeing the new moon of the month of Shawwal on the 29th of Ramadan or after 30 days of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr is confirmed.
- It is a day of rejoice after the intense fasting and worship for a month.
- The night before Eid is ‘the night of rewards’ for all those who fasted. Eid is like a gift from Allah.
- Fasting is forbidden on this day.
- Muslims wear their best clothes and go for the congregational Eid prayers in the morning.
- Paying Zakat al-Fitr before the prayer is obligatory for Muslims on this day.
Written by - Afra Meera Ahamed
Edited by - Gunika Manchanda
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