Islam Info

2012-07-25T05:50:00.001-07:00

Ramadan Kareem

2012-07-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Muslims around the world anticipate the arrival of

the holiest month of the year. During Ramadan,

the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims from

all continents unite in a period of fasting and spiritual reflection.

Each day of Ramadan, from sunrise to sunset, Muslims aged

twelve and older traditionally practice fasting. The Arabic word for

fasting literally means to "refrain," which is what is religiously

proscribed - not just abstaining from eating and drinking,

but also restraining every part of one's physical body.

The mouth, for example, is restrained from idle talk and gossip,

while the ears are restrained from listening to obscenities.

In this way, a Muslim engages his or her entire body in

the physical observance of the Ramadan fast.

In addition to the fast, Ramadan is also a time to re-evaluate

one's convictions and deeds. It is a time to mend troubled

relationships, give charity, find forgiveness for others,

and refocus on worshipping Allah (God).

According to Islamic tradition, the month of Ramadan

is when Allah revealed the first verses of the Qur'an,

the holy book, to the prophet Muhammad. In honor

of this revelation, one thirtieth of the Qur'an is read

each night of Ramadan during the evening prayer. By

the end of the month, the whole Qur'an has been recited.

During Ramadan, Muslims rise before sunrise to partake

in a pre-fast meal, called suhoor. Each night after sunset,

they break their fast with the iftar meal. The end of the

month of Ramadan is marked with the joyous festival of

Eid al-Fitr, which literally means the "Festival of Breaking

the Fast." During Eid al-Fitr, families celebrate with

elaborate feasts and dress in their finest clothes.

At the same time, they increase their efforts to

give charity to the poor and make contributions to their mosques.