Name Origin
Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the
ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which
the Qur'an began to be revealed.
The name "Ramadan" is taken from the name of this month; the word itself
derived from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and
shortness of rations. It is considered the most venerated and blessed
month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, and
self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious
observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month.
Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power), which falls during the last third,
commemorates the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an and is
considered the most holy night of the year. Ramadan ends with the
holiday Eid ul-Fitr, on which feasts are held. During the month
following Ramadan, called Shawwal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for a
further six days.
Fasting - Sawm
The most prominent event of this month is the fasting (sawm) practiced
by the most observant Muslims. Every day during the month of Ramadan,
Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat the Suhoor meal (the
pre dawn meal) and perform their fajr prayer. They break their fast when
the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib (sunset), is due.
During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to put more effort into following
the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and
sounds. Sexual activities during fasting hours are also
forbidden.[Qur'an 2:187] Purity of both thought and action is important.
The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in
which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God Almighty. The act
of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities,
its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm.
Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling
of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline,
sacrifice, and sympathy for those who are less fortunate, intended to
make Muslims more generous and charitable. Muslims can eat after the sun
has set. Pregnant women, the elderly, the ill and children less than 12
years of age are all exempt from fasting as lack of food could damage
health.
Prayer and Reading of The Qur'an
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an.
Sunni Muslims tend to perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by
means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques
every night of the month, during which 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 entire Qur'an has been completed. Tarawih is an Arabic phrase
referring to those extra prayers. This prayer is performed after salah
of Isha'a, but before the witr rakat.
Muslims also pay Zakat (only applicable if one can afford it) during the
month. For those who qualify to pay Zakaat, as per the Islamic Nisab
(that is those whose wealth exceeds their necessities), of the leftover
of their wealth earned in that Islamic calendar year. Although Zakat can
be paid any time of the year, it has to be calculated on a year to year
basis, and many Muslims use Ramadan as the month for calculation and
disbursement.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly
affairs and focus on self reformation, spiritual cleansing and
enlightenment, establishing a link between God Almighty and themselves
by prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping
others.
Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special
foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the
poor and needy who cannot afford it, this can involve buying new
clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect
involved - the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the
Iftar meal (the meal to break the Fast).
In many Muslim and non Muslim countries with large Muslim populations,
markets close down in the evening to enable people to perform prayers
and consume the Iftar meal (the meal to end the fast) - these markets
then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be
seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family
during the evening hours.
Events of Ramadan
Laylat al-Qadr , literally the "Night of Decrees" or "Night of Measures"
or "Night of Power", is the anniversary of two very important dates in
Islam that occurred 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
Muhammed but he chose to keep it to himself so that Muslims won't pray
only that night. That is why Muhammad indicated that it was one of the
last ten odd nights of Ramadan.
The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting period
of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new
moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, as
per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the
Fast, a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (�Zakat
al-Fitr�), everyone puts on their best, preferably new, clothes, and
communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and
visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two rakaahs only, and it
is an optional prayer as opposed to the compulsory 5 daily prayers.
According to one current school of thought (Ankaboot), it is suggested
that North American Muslims arrange their work-schedule for Eid by
requesting the two most likely days of Eid as Holidays or simply as days
off from work. This allows for quality family time, and is akin to the
Christian/North American tradition of taking Christmas and Christmas Eve
off as holidays. This also allows for time off to celebrate the Eid
prayer at a mosque and with family. The fast always ends after 29 or 30
days of fasting, and thus the request would be for the 29th and 30th day
after the start of the fast.
Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following
Ramadan that begins after Eid ul-Fitr; these days need not 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
Muslims do not fast because of medical benefits which are of a secondary
nature. Fasting has been used by patients for weight management, to
rest the digestive tract and for lowering lipids. There are many adverse
effects of total fasting as well as of crash diets. Islamic fasting is
different from such diet plans because in Ramadan fasting, there is no
malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake. The calorie intake of Muslims
during Ramadan is at or slightly below the nutritional requirement
guidelines. In addition, the fasting in Ramadan is voluntarily taken and
is not a prescribed imposition from the physician.
Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self training, with the hope
that this training will last beyond the end of Ramadan. If the lessons
learned during Ramadan, whether in terms of dietary intake or
righteousness, are carried on after Ramadan, there effects will be long
lasting. Moreover, the type of food taken during Ramadan does not have
any selective criteria of crash diets such as those which are protein
only or fruit only type diets. Everything that is permissible is taken
in moderate quantities.
The difference between Ramadan and total fasting is the timing of the
food; during Ramadan, we basically miss lunch and take an early
breakfast and do not eat until dusk. Abstinence from water for 8 to 10
hours is not necessarily bad for health and in fact, it causes
concentration of all fluids within the body, producing slight
dehydration. The body has its own water conservation mechanism; in fact,
it has been shown that slight dehydration and water conservation, at
least in plant life, improve their longevity.
The physiological effect of fasting includes lowering of blood sugar,
lowering of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic blood pressure. In
fact, Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for the treatment
of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity, and
essential hypertension.
In 1994 the first International Congress on "Health and Ramadan", held
in Casablanca, entered 50 extensive studies on the medical ethics of
fasting. While improvement in many medical conditions was noted;
however, in no way did fasting worsen any patients' health or their
baseline medical condition. On the other hand, patients who are
suffering from severe diseases, whether type I diabetes or coronary
artery disease, kidney stones, etc., are exempt from fasting and should
not be allowed to fast.
There are psychological effects of fasting as well. There is a peace and
tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan. Personal
hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases. Muslims take
advice from the Prophet who said, "If one slanders you or aggresses
against you, say I am fasting." This psychological improvement could be
related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as
hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavior changes. There is a
beneficial effect of extra prayer at night. This not only helps with
better utilization of food but also helps in energy output. There are 10
extra calories output for each unit of the prayer. Again, we do not do
prayers for exercise, but a mild movement of the joints with extra
calorie utilization is a better form of exercise. Similarly, recitation
of the Quran not only produces a tranquility of heart and mind, but
improves the memory.
One of the odd nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan is called the night
of power when angels descend down, and take the prayer of worship to
God for acceptance.
Fasting is a special act of worship which is only between humans and God
since no one else knows for sure if this person is actually fasting.
Thus God says in haddith Qudsi that "Fasting is for Me and I only will
reward it". In another haddith, the Prophet Muhammad (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".
"We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the
night of Power: And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power
is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. Therein come
down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:
Peace!... This until the rise of Morn!"
(Qur'an - Surah 97 - Al Qadr)
