It is a big week for the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims – 22 per cent of the entire global population – as they get ready for the holy month of Ramadan, set to begin in around six days’ time.
The annual period will see prayer, fasting, and giving to charity become the focus of their everyday lives for an entire month.
For non-Muslims and those less familiar with the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, here are the five main things you need to know about Ramadan 2016:
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of Islam’s lunar calendar, a system which sees each month begin at the sighting of the new moon. According to some scholars, the month is said to be the one in which the Qur’an was first revealed, making it the holiest and most sacred month for Muslims.
It is the period when Muslims fast every day from sunrise to sunset, and is one of the five pillars – or duties – of Islam. Not only do Muslims abstain from food and drink, it is also a time of deep contemplation and prayer to Allah, and also charitable generosity.
All able-bodied Muslims are required to take part in Ramadan. Although there is some debate over the age at which young Muslims should begin to take part, it is typically at around ten to 12-years-old.
When does Ramadan begin this year?
The holy month is set to begin on or around 7 June, depending on the sighting of the new moon which will tell when the ninth month begins.
Because lunar months are shorter than solar months – which are used elsewhere – the month moves back by around 10 days each year.
What is a typical day like during Ramadan?
Waking up before the sun rises, at around 4am, Muslims will eat and drink to prepare for the day ahead. Once the sun is up, there will be no more meals, drinking, smoking, or any sexual activity until sundown, also known as iftar.
Iftar then typically begins by consuming dates and sweet, milky drinks – which provide a much-needed energy boost – before quickly taking part in post-iftar prayers. After prayers, dinner will be had, typically after 9pm, before fasting begins again the following day.
Overall, Muslims will be fasting for around 17 hours a day this year, or around 530 hours throughout the entire month.
What’s the purpose of Ramadan?
Islam is a religion which sees its followers help the poor and less fortunate throughout their lifetimes, with a particular focus on this element of the faith during its holiest month.
While hungry and thirsty throughout the fasting day, Muslims have a constant reminder of the suffering of the poor in less fortunate parts of the world.
Fasting is also seen as an opportunity to exercise self-control, cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and build a greater connection with Allah through prayer which can, ultimately, bring about peace.
When does the month end and how is it marked?
Beginning at the start of the month of Shawwal – the 10th month of the Islamic calendar – Ramadan 2016 is set to draw to a close on or around 7 July, depending on the sighting of the new moon.
Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations then take over which can, in some countries, last for up to three days. Muslims then come together to be with their families, prepare great feasts, exchange gifts, continue to give to charity, and forgive and forget any rifts.
Above all, they pray and thank Allah for giving them the strength to get through the holy month.
What does fasting in Ramadan mean to Muslims?
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting (in Arabic: Siyam). It is to fast throughout the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar). This is an act of worship that draws the Muslim closer to Allaah (God), as the Quran stated, “Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those who came before you so that you may attain piety.” (Quran 2:183)
In this month the Muslim pushes himself physically and spiritually in order to come closer to Allaah.
Fasting and spirituality means that every Muslim should:
- Focus on getting closer to Allaah
- Study and recite the Quran plentifully
- Improve obedience to Allaah
- Give in charity
- Pray the night prayers
- Show kindness and generosity
- Seek forgiveness for sins
Fasting as a physical activity means:
- That a Muslim has no food or drink from dawn till sunset
- No sexual relations from dawn till sunset
- No immoral behaviour such as lying, deception, rumour-mongering, backbiting, and other sins. This he endeavours to avoid throughout his life.
In Muslim countries, life continues as normal but cafes, restaurants and work-place canteens close during the day because no one is eating or drinking. A Muslim takes a pre-dawn meal as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) commanded before the the morning prayer. Throughout this month people spend more time in reading the Quran and remembering Allaah with words of praise and glorification (Arabic: dhikr). Hundreds of millions of Muslims look forward to Ramadan each year.
At dusk (sunset) everything changes. The Muslim begins by breaking the fast with some dates and water. He then prays the Maghrib prayer (after the sun has set), after which he returns to his family to share in a well-prepared meal. Even at this stage, a Muslim is commanded not to go to excess in filling his belly. The Muslims should eat food they love that is wholesome and in moderation. Within two hours the Muslim returns to the Mosque and prays the late prayer (‘Isha) followed by quite a lengthy night prayer for which there is a huge reward from Allaah. In non-Muslim countries like Britain withholding from food provides added challenges:
- If Ramadan falls into the British summer, then the daylight hours are very long (16-18 hours)!
- Most people around you are eating, drinking and snacking, so that may tempt a Muslim.
Fasting as an Obligation:
Fasting is not obligatory upon everyone. Some people are exempt, such as children under the age puberty who have not yet reached adulthood. Adulthood is known by whichever of the following takes place first:
- Coarse hair in the private area.
- Sexual discharge due to desire.
- Reaching the age of fifteen.
For a woman there is an additional point: Onset of the menstrual cycle. Children can be encouraged to fast, but not forced. Some adults are also exempt due to their particular situation:
- Travelers upon a journey.
- The sick who are likely to recover.
- Menstruating women.
- Postnatal bleeding women.
These people are allowed to miss days but must make them up later after Ramadan once they are able. There is yet another group who are exempt:
- Those permanently sick who are not expected to recover.
- The elderly who cannot fast due to their old age.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women who fear for their babies if they were to fast.
These people must feed a poor person for each day missed since they are not expected to make up what they have missed. Ramadan is known as the month of the Quran because it was during this month that the Quran was first revealed, and continued to be revealed by Allaah to the angel Gabriel who would bring verses to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as and when events requiring guidance happened over the next twenty three years, until his death. Allaah stated in the Quran,
“The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and a criterion between truth and falsehood. So whoever sights the new moon of the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days must be made up. Allaah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and wants for you to complete the period and to glorify Allaah for that to which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Quran 2:185)
Many Muslims set themselves targets and really want to benefit in Ramadan and want to please Allaah:
- They want piety – and fasting leads to piety and awareness of the Creator whom they serve.
- Many Muslims try to complete the Quran by reading it daily.
- Many attend the Mosque every night and pray the night prayer (taraweeh) behind the Imam. Women too are welcome to attend.
- Many want to change their lives for the better, so Ramadan gives them an ideal opportunity. They cease boyfriend/girlfriend relationships; they stop bad habits such as lying, stealing, backbiting, smoking, drinking, listening to music, watching movies and so on.
- A lot of Muslims fall short in their behaviour throughout the year, but they know that Ramadan is a month of forgiveness and mercy, so they obey Allaah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and do good deeds, with the desire to carry on after Ramadan in the same manner. They seek Allaah’s Mercy and Forgiveness daily.
- They try to understand the message of the Quran by sitting with knowledgeable teachers who will teach them from classical works thus avoiding misguided ideologies. Muslims must always protect themselves from being led to extremes and from falling into neglect of established religious practices.
- In Ramadan, the Muslim communities become stronger, people show mercy to each other, by being kind and generous, especially to one’s parents and family.
- Ramadan makes Muslims reflect upon the bounties of Allaah such as life, happiness, security, food, drink, health, family, wealth and so on. When Muslims go hungry and thirsty, they begin to understand the plight of those who are poor and needy and so they give thanks to Allaah for His kindness and grace upon them.
- Muslims help those less fortunate than themselves. They feel sympathy for the poor and so they give in charity, thereby receiving more reward from Allaah.
- Ramadan teaches the Muslims self-control and reminds them that serving Allaah must take priority over their own desires.
Devout Muslims exert themselves harder in prayer, recitation and glorification of Allaah in the last ten nights of Ramadan because in the these nights there is the “Night of Power and Decree” (called Lailatul-Qadr) which is better than a thousand months of worship. The Muslims were taught by the Prophet Muhammad to seek out the beginning of Ramadan by looking out for the new moon of the month. It is not correct to use pre-determined calculations for the beginning and end of Ramadan since that opposes the instruction of the Prophet. In fact he said: “When you see it (the crescent moon) fast, and when you see it again cease fasting, and if there is cloud-cover then complete thirty days.”
Finally, non-Muslims should know that Muslims worship only one God (Allaah), the Lord of all creation – He is the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and all the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them all).