Ramadan and Fasting

Ramadan and Fasting
رمضان والصيام

English
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Ramadan and Fasting

رمضان والصيام


الصوم

English
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Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, can be
29 or 30 days long.
An Islamic month begins with the sighting of
the new crescent in the western horizon, immediately after sunset.
Muslims look toward the we
stern horizon for the new moon on the
29th day of Sha’ban, the eighth month.
If the new moon is
sighted, Ramadan has begun with the sunset but fasting begins
with the next dawn.
If the new moon is not sighted on this 29th
day, Muslims complete 30 days of
Sha’ban (the previous month)
and Ramadan begins the following day.
The Significance of Ramadan and Fasting
God says in the Quran:
“O you who believe!
Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it
was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain God
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consciousness.” (Quran 2:183)
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a
guidance for humankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the
criterion. So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night
of) the month (of Ramadan) must obs
erve the fasts that month, and
whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number from other days.
God intends for you ease, and He does not want for you difficulty.
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(So you) must complete the same number, and that you must
magnify God for having guided you s
o that you may be grateful to
Him.” (2:185)
Accordingly, the month of Ramadan is called the month of the
Quran.
Therefore, Muslims recite the Quran frequently in this
month.
Sawm or Fasting
Sawm (fasting) begins with dawn and ends with sunset.
Muslims ri
se before dawn, eat Sahur (pre
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dawn meal) and drink an
adequate amount of liquids for the preparation of sawm.
Eating
and drinking stops at dawn.
During the day no eating, drinking or
sexual activity is allowed.
In addition, a Muslim must adhere to
the
moral code of Islam strictly as failure can violate the
requirements of fasting.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an act of worship required
of all Muslims who have attained puberty.
Women who are
having their menstrual period or who have not fully reco
vered
from childbirth postpone the fast until they are completely out of
their given conditions.
In addition, those who are ill or on travel
may choose to postpone their fast.
Muslims fast because God has commanded them to do so.
However, they may also t
hink about the benefits of fasting that
include developing control over hunger, thirst and sexual urges,
training to be a good moral person and testing sincerity to the
Creator.
During the fast, Muslims may conduct their business as
usual.
The fast is b
roken immediately after sunset usually by eating
dates and drinking water or juice.
However, any lawful food or
drink may be used to break the fast.
This is followed by the
Maghrib salah (after sunset prayer) which is followed by a
complete meal.
After
a brief rest, Muslims go to the mosque to
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offer the ‘Isha salah (night prayer) and then a special night prayer,
called taraweeh.
Taraweeh
This nightly congregational salah (prayer) is performed after
the regular night prayer.
Traditionally, a Hafiz of the
Quran,
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a
person who has memorized the whole Quran (in Arabic)
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leads the
prayer.
He recites the Quran in small portions, in proper sequence,
every night and completes the recitation of the whole Quran before
the end of the month of Ramadan.
Every Mus
lim who attends
such prayers regularly gets the opportunity of listening to the
recitation of the whole Quran by the end of the month.
If a Hafiz
of the Quran is not available, the Muslim who has memorized the
most in the group leads the prayer and recite
s according to his
ability.
Many Islamic scholars cite the Sunnah (path of the
Prophet Muhammad) of the Prophet
–
may the mercy and
blessings of God be upon him
-
that he always prayed during the
night alone at his home whether it was Ramadan or not and
same
was the habit of many of his great companions.
Ramadan Generosity
The month of Ramadan brings many blessings multiplied for
those who do good.
During this month people are more generous,
more cordial, friendlier and more ready than other times of the
year to do good deeds.
The poor and the needy receive food,
clothing and money from the well
-
off in the community.
Many
people go to the mosque in the neighborhood for fast
-
breaking and
meals.
People in the neighborhood send fruit, food and drinks to
t
he mosque
–
the atmosphere is that of a friendly dinner every
evening of the month.
Well
-
known contributors of the Muslim community find
themselves surrounded by the needy people for donations.
Zakat,
a wealth purifying alms, and donations are given at th
is time of the
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year since many Muslims wish to take the opportunity of
multiplied rewards from God.7