An Overview of Ramadan
Fasting as an act of worship and piety is not only an integral part of the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but also Hinduism and Jainism. Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars on which the practice of Islam rests. It is during this month that many Muslims try to give to those less fortunate exercising another pillar of the Faith, that of Zaka’at (charity).
Ramadan occurs in the 9th month of the lunar year and begins and ends with the sighting of the moon. The lunar year moves backwards, so the month begins 11 days earlier each year. It culminates in the festival of Eid-al-Fitr which is celebrated by congregational prayers and greetings of Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem.
Muslims believe that Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, charity, good deeds and attaining a deeper connection with their faith and God by forgoing worldly pursuits. It is believed that the final Messenger of God, Mohammed (peace be upon him) received the first revelation of the Quran (Muslims’ sacred text) in the last ten days of the month.
Fasting is incumbent on all adult Muslims and children who have reached puberty, usually by the age of 14. Those pregnant or breastfeeding, menstruating, travelling, elderly or sick requiring treatment with medications are exempted. They can either make up the missed days later or give specific alms for the days missed.
Fasting consists of abstention from food, drink, sex, and other pleasurable pursuits such as smoking from sunup (suhur) to sundown (iftaar). Those fasting must control all negativity such as anger, envy, and sinful speech. Spiritual practices during Ramadan serve to reinforce deeply held values of self-control, discipline, gratitude, compassion, and empathy for the needy, as well as a reminder of our dependence on God.
During these times of the Coronavirus, many Muslims are deeply saddened to forgo one of the blessings of Ramadan - the ability to participate physically as a community. The call to congregational prayer has been changed to “pray where you are” to prevent the spread of the virus, technology is being roped in to organize virtual optional nightly prayers (Taraweeh), and “e-iftars” are being organized in some cities. Guidance about these procedures is being provided by the tradition and sayings of The Messenger (hadeeth) “If you hear of a plague in a land, then do not go into it. If it happens in the land where you are, then do not go out of it.”
Learning and education are highly prized in Islam given that the first revealed word of the Quran was Iqra, which means read or recite. Values of modesty in celebration, togetherness while being physically distant, austerity and a personal connection with God are valuable lessons during these turbulent times.
RAMADAN KAREEM TO ALL.