Friday, July 20, 2012

Ramadan Kareem

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.