Name Origin
Ramadan is a Muslim religious honoring that takes place during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, regarded as for being the month in which the Qur'an started to be revealed.Title "Ramadan" is taken from the name of that month; the word itself taken from from an Arabic word for extreme heat, scorched ground, and truncation of rations. It is thought about the most venerated and endowed month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, as well as self-accountability are most definitely stressed at this time period; religious observances with regards to Ramadan are kept for the duration of the month.
Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power), which comes over the last third, commemorates the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an and is considered the absolute most holy night that happens once a year. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr, on which feasts are presented. Throughout the month following Ramadan, called Shawwal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for an additional six days.
Fasting - Sawm
The most noticeable event of this month is the fasting (sawm) practiced by the the majority of observant Muslims. Every day through the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world get-up before dawn to take in the Suhoor meal (the pre dawn meal) and perform their fajr prayer. They break their fast as soon as the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib (sunset), is due.During Ramadan, Muslims are anticipated to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and in order to prevent obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual activities during fasting period of time are also forbidden.[Qur'an 2:187] pureness of both thought as well as action is important. The fast will probably be an exacting act of deep personal worship through which Muslims seek a raised level of intimacy to God Almighty. The act of fasting is said to refocus the heart away from worldly actions, its purpose being to cleanse the inner heart and soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast really should induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also permits Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, and sympathy for individuals who are less fortunate, intended to make Muslims more generous as well as charitable. Muslims can eat after the sun has set. Pregnant women, the older people, the ill and kids less than 12 years of age are all exempted from fasting as lack of food could damages healthiness.
Prayer and Reading of The Qur'an
Together with fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an.Sunni Muslims tend to perform the recitation of the complete Qur'an by means of special prayers, known as Tarawih, which are held in the Masajid every night of the month, when a whole section of the Qur'an (juz, which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited, so that by the end of the month the whole Qur'an has been completed. Tarawih is an Arabic phrase referring to the people extra prayers. This prayer is performed after salah of Isha'a, but before the witr rakat.
Muslims also pay Zakat (only relevant if one can afford it) throughout the month. If you qualify to pay Zakaat, according to the Islamic Nisab (that is those whose wealth exceeds his or her necessities), of the remaining of their wealth earned in that Islamic twelve months. Although Zakat can be paid at any time of the year, it needs to be calculated on a year to year perspective, and several Muslims use Ramadan as the month for calculation and expense.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims have always been to slow down from worldly issues and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment, developing a link between God Almighty and by themselves by prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping other people.
Because it is a festival of giving as well as sharing, Muslims prepare exclusive foods and buy presents for their family and friends and also for giving to the poor and impoverished who cannot afford it, this can incorporate buying new clothes, shoes along with other items of need. There is additionally a social aspect included - the preparing of special meals and inviting people when it comes to Iftar meal (the meal to break the Fast).
In many Muslim as well as non Muslim countries with large Muslim populations, marketplaces close down in the evening to enable individuals to perform prayers and consume the Iftar meal (the meal to end the fast) - these markets then re-open and remain open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen going shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family throughout the evening hours.
Activities of Ramadan
Laylat al-Qadr, literally the
"Night of Decrees" or "Night of Measures" or "Night of
Power", is the anniversary of 2 extremely important dates in Islam that
happened in the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe that it was the night of the
Laylat al-Qadr that the Quran's first verse was revealed. The exact night of
the Laylat al-Qadr is only known to God and Muhammad ﷺ but he decided to keep it to
himself so that Muslims won't pray only that night. That is why Muhammad ﷺ indicated it absolutely was one of
the last ten odd nights of Ramadan.
The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr
marks the completion of the fasting period of Ramadan and also the first day of
the following month, after the other emerging moon has been sighted. The Eid
comes after 29 or 30 days of fasting, as per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr
means that the Festival of Breaking the Fast, a particular celebration is made.
Food is bequeathed to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone adds on their best,
preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers take place in the early morning,
followed by feasting and visiting family members and friends. The prayer is two
rakaahs only, and it is an optional prayer rather than the compulsory 5 daily
prayers. According to one current school of consideration (Ankaboot), it is
suggested that North American Muslims arrange their particular work-schedule
for Eid by requesting the two main most likely days of Eid as Holidays or
simply as day off from work. This enables for quality family duration, and is
akin to the Christian/North American tradition of taking Christmas and
Christmas Eve off as holidays. And also this allows for time off celebrating
the Eid prayer at a Masajid and with family. The fast always ends after 29 or
30 days of fasting, and therefore the request would be for the 29th and 30th
day following the start of the fast.
Muslims are motivated to fast six
days in Shawwal, the month next Ramadan that begins after Eid ul-Fitr; these
days doesn't have to be consecutive. According to hadith, one who fasts the
month of Ramadan and six days during Shawwal will be rewarded as though he
fasted the entire year.
Medical Benefits of Ramadan
Ramadan is a month of self-regulation
and self-training, with the expectation that this training will last beyond the
end of Ramadan. If the lessons learned throughout Ramadan, whether in terms of
dietary intake or righteousness, are carried on after Ramadan, there results
will be long lasting. Additionally, the type of food taken during Ramadan
doesn't have any selective criteria of fad diets such as those which are
protein only or fruit only type diet programs. Everything that is permissible
is consumed in moderate amounts.
The distinction between Ramadan and
total fasting is the timing for the food; during Ramadan, we basically miss
lunch time and take an early breakfast time and do not eat until sunset.
Abstinence from water for 8 to 10 hours is definitely not bad for health and in
fact, it causes concentration of all body fluids within the body, producing
slight dehydration. The body features its own water conservation mechanism; in
fact, it has been shown that slight dehydration and water preservation, at
least in plant life, enhance their longevity.
The physiological effect of fasting
contains lowering of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol as well as lowering
of the systolic blood pressure levels. In fact, Ramadan fasting include an
ideal recommendation for the treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin
diabetes, obesity, and indispensable hypertension.
Fasting is a unique act of worship
and that is only between humans and God since nobody else knows for sure if
this person is honestly fasting. Thus God says in hadith Qudsi that
"Fasting is for Me and I only will reward it". In another hadith, the
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
(peace be upon him) has said "If one does not give up falsehoods in words
and actions, God has no need of him giving up food and drink".
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