Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar Essay

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar – the blessed month of fasting. It is the month that Allah (swt) (God) revealed the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad (saw). It is also one of the five sacred pillars of Islam which help Muslims lead a religious life. The five pillars, including Ramadan are compulsory. The Arabic term for fasting is Sawm. It is a very special time for Muslims and its completion is celebrated by the wonderful day of Eid al-Fitr where gifts are exchanged between friends, relatives, families and neighbours. The basic aim of Ramadan is for Muslims to establish control during the month and be better Muslims, also, to remind Muslims of the less fortunate among us. The nights leading up to Ramadan are very exciting for everyone. This is when Muslims anxiously await the news if the new moon has been sighted by any Muslim in the world which signifies the beginning of the Ramadan. Upon hearing the news the Muslims will immediately email, phone and text message this good news to people they know. In the Islamic world this is announced on the radio or television, or the local town crier (muezzin) will inform everyone from the loudspeakers of the mosque. It is common to find people will gather at each others houses and the mosques will be full as the news breaks, congratulating each other that Allah (swt) has allowed them to witness another Ramadan and to gain its reward. Fasting is compulsory once a child reaches puberty. Those who are ill or on a journey are excused, as are women during their monthly period or if they are pregnant or nursing because they are very weak and need the food and energy more than most; missed days are made up for later in the year when one is more able. Muslims fast from daybreak to sunset. For example in Luton in late October this will be from 6.00am to around 5:45pm. That’s nearly 12 hours. This means no eating or drinking during these hours. Although each nation will have its own way of going about fasting during Ramadan, it is common that a light meal is eaten at dusk to break the fast (Iftar), followed by a slightly heavier meal, and finally a light breakfast just before dawn (Suhur). At Suhur, I will have a large bowl of breakfast cereal, a glass of orange juice or water (as one can get very thirsty during the day) and perhaps a few slices of toast in order to prepare myself for the long day ahead. When Iftar arrives I would start with a supplication to Allah (swt) (Dua) then eat a date and drink some milk or water. I would then perform my evening prayers before sitting with my family and have my dinner after which I will attend the local mosque for some evening prayers. Every night in Ramadan there are special, extra prayers called Salatul Taraweeh. These are performed in congregation at the mosque or at home. This schedule is taken from the example of our Prophet, Muhammad (saw). A typical day of fasting during Ramadan at about Christmas time in the UK is summarised below: 05:30am Suhur (light breakfast) 06:00am Fajr Salah (morning prayer) Qur’an recitation 01:30pm Dhuhr Salah (midday prayer) 02:45pm ‘Asr Salah (afternoon prayer) 05:50pm Iftar (break of fast) and Maghrib Salah (evening prayer) Dinner 08:00pm ‘Isha Salah (night prayer) and Taraweeh (extra prayers) Supper and an early night PART TWO (500 words) Fasting in Ramadan is the fourth ‘pillar’ of Islam, an act of worship of great importance. During this month Muslims should be more spiritual, more caring and considerate; they should control their temper and refrain from using bad language. This is to help them become a better Muslim. One can find that during this month people become more patient, polite to others as well as extremely generous with the wealth that they possess. A poor Muslim who donates his last penny will get as much reward as the wealthy businessman who donates thousands. This is called Zakat where 2.5% of the annual family income is donated to the poor. This is compulsory because the money that we have today is not actually ours it is a loan from Allah and a blessing, which we should repay to him through the poor. Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Allah (swt) is constantly testing people and giving people the opportunity to achieve huge rewards for the hereafter. It is a time of purification, reflection, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and striving hard with one’s life and wealth. It is a time for charity, to give to those less fortunate then yourselves and it’s a time when most people pay their annual alms to the poor (above). It was in the month of Ramadan that many of the battles took place such as the famous Islamic battles took place such as the Battle of Badr. Amongst what Muslims should abstain from are smoking, and sexual intercourse. People should focus on Allah and religion as opposed to other things. What the prayers seek to serve five times a day, fasting in the month of Ramadan does once a year. During this period from dawn to dusk we eat not a grain of food nor drink a drop of water, no matter how delicious the dish or how thirsty we feel. This month helps us strengthen our faith. Discipline during this month bring us face to face with the realities of life and help us make our life, during the rest of the year, a life of true subservience to Allah (swt). From another point of view fasting has an immense impact on our communities, for all the Muslims irrespective of their status must observe fast during the same month. This brings to prominence the essential equality of people and thus goes a long way towards creating in them sentiments of love and brotherhood. The unity that is created covers the whole planet where Muslims reside whether in Indonesia or Denmark. Each Muslim connects with his brother. This is called the Ummah (community) During Ramadan goodness comes to the forefront and the whole atmosphere is filled with piety and purity. It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, â€Å"When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.† Thus, the month of Ramadan is a special month unlike others. As an act of mercy by Allah (swt), the blessings that one can attain during this Holy Month have been increased many fold. Another point of significance is that the Qur’an was revealed during one of the last ten odd numbered nights of this blessed month. That night is known as Lailatul Qadr or the Night of Power. It is during this night that Allah (swt) has promised us great reward for our time spent in prayer and worship. Clearly there is a lesson in this for people. Ramadan indeed is a great incentive for all Muslims to increase their god consciousness (Taqwa) and to strengthen their faith. However, this effort should not be limited to the month of Ramadan but should extend for the rest of our lives. PART THREE (500 words) First and foremost fasting is an act of worship and Allah (swt) does not give a reason as why we fast in the Qur’an. However, we can observe the reality of fasting during the month of Ramadan and can conclude that many benefits are created for the one who fasts. I agree with part of the statement that fasting indeed has many advantages. As for these benefits, when one is in the state of fasting during the month of Ramadan he is constantly thinking of those things which please his creator, Allah (swt). That is to say he is in a constant state of god consciousness or what is referred to in the Arabic language as Taqwa. During this time he becomes a better person, he does not lie or cheat, he does not involve himself in arguments or name calling as one would find in the school playground. He is continuously contemplating and reflecting on the words of Allah (swt) which he would read in the Qur’an or he would hear at the local mosque. As a result one becomes a lot more patient, extremely disciplined and a lot more productive to himself and his environment. During this month the community spirit is ignited and the mosques are full. The economy is boosted as it is recommended to spend the wealth Allah (swt) has provided you within this month as much as possible to gain the rewards for the hereafter. Community Iftar’s are hosted in community centres within the local community creating an atmosphere of brotherhood and closeness as well as money sent off to the poor and destitute so they may also enjoy the blessings of this month. As for the disadvantages, I believe the benefits far outweigh the harms of fasting. A few points to I would like to mention however are is that when early on during the month when one is fasting during a long day, one tends to become very tired towards the end of the day due to the fact that normal regular meals have been missed, however as the month progresses the body adapts very quickly to this new regime softening these hardships. In addition, during the day, especially during the summer when the days are long and the heat is intense the lack of water consumption can make one extremely thirsty and somewhat dehydrated which can lead to a stale breath. However, the remedy to this is the saying of the Prophet who said â€Å"The smell of the mouth of a fasting person is to sweeter to Allah (swt) than the smell of musk†. Another potential problem is tendency to eat too much in the evenings and at the end of the month to pile on a few unwanted pounds. This is easily resolved by making sure you eat moderately and exercise to burn off excess calories. Also, there is the ounce of temptation present brough to us by Shaytan (Devil) and this makes it hard for us. Finally, one sad thing about Ramadan is that it only comes round once a year and lasts for around thirty days. If only we could have longer as there are not enough hours in the day. NOTE: (saw) – peace be upon him (swt) – praise be to Him, The Almighty Bibliography I obtained all the information for this essay from my own knowledge