Ramadan is the blessed month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims all over the world observe fasting from dawn to dusk. During this time, Muslims do not eat or drink anything, nor do they indulge in physical relationship.
This year, Ramadan is expected to start on 26th May depending on the sighting of the moon.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, the five daily prayers, giving charity to the poor and the needy, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
The day starts with a pre-dawn meal called suhoor or sehri and ends with the evening meal called iftar. It is very hard to describe this month. People who read about it or hear about it on media might think it is very hard but even children have no trouble fasting as long as they have a good sehri.
Dates are eaten in abundance in Ramadan. People go to mosques to pray in congregation, give food to the poor, have community meals, read the holy book Quran and try to spend as much time as possible in prayer and worship.
Fasting is compulsory for all adult Muslim men and women but those who are too old or too young, travelling, too ill or women who are pregnant, breastfeeding etc are exempt from fasting.
The end of Ramadan is marked by intense worship. Some devout Muslims go into reclusion in the last ten days of Ramadan, spending all of their time in the mosque in prayers and recitation of the Quran..The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a three-day holiday called Eid al-Fitr.
Are there any Muslims around you who are fasting?
