Understanding Ramadan & Why Muslims fast …

O You who believe! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you may remain conscious of God.

(Qu’ran, 2:183)

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the 3^rd pillar of Islam falling only third in importance to Syahadah which is the attainment of faith that there is no God but Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah. Next is praying five times a day. Only to be followed by paying alms and hajj. The holy month of Ramadan falls on the 9^th month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan for the year 1417Hijrah falls on September 13^th 2007 of the Gregorian calendar this too depends where in the world you are.

The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the moon for the month of Ramadan. This is usually a day or two days before. Once the new moon is sighted, an announcement is made and the date for Ramadan is confirmed. Though South East Asia has fixed days for the start of Ramadan, they still look for the new moon. The number of days a Muslim is required to fast is between 29 and 30 days and this is determined by the sighting of the moon in the month of Ramadan and Syawal which is the month of victory in having survived the trials & tribulations that comes with the fast.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is mandatory for both men and women young and old though there are certain exemptions. Anyone who has reached puberty is obligated to fast and their fast is governed by the rules set forth by the Holy Quran. Children are not required to fast but it is common practice among Muslims to encourage them to fast so that it won’t come as a shock when fasting becomes mandatory for them.

For 29 or 30 days Muslims fast from Dawn to sunset after which their lives return to normal where the rules that govern fasting falls. The fast for the day starts at the first call to prayer which is Subuh (morning prayers) until the 4^th call to prayer for the day for the maghrib prayers or evening prayers and for twelve hours we refrain ourselves from food and drink and anything that nullifies the fast.

Breaking of the fast or iftar is done by having three pieces of dates was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and having a glass of water after which he proceeded to do his prayers. After breaking our fast, its encouraged that we go to the mosque to perform the teraweeh prayers which is a special non obligatory prayer done only in Ramadan and it’s usually done in a congregation. It is ok to do it at home but prayer in a group yield more blessing. Each night of the teraweeh prayers offers different blessings and rewards to the one who does it with sincerity and good intent.

Just before the start of fast for the day, we are required to wake up and have our morning meals or sahur. The aftermorning breakfast as its also known as should be done closer to the start of the fast so that the hours before that can be used for reciting the Quran, doing the special night prayers and dzikir.

Reciting the Qu’ran as much as possible and completing all thirty chapters is encouraged during this time seeing that this was the month when the Qu’ran was revealed. One of the reasons why the fast has been assigned in the month of Ramadhan is to express gratitude to Allah for having sent down the Quran in this month.

The month of Ramadhan is the month in which was revealed the Qu’ran, Guidance for mankind, and the Criterion (of right & wrong); so whoever of you witness this month, then let him fast it..

(Qu’ran 2:185)

Apart from reading the Qu’ran we are also encouraged to do special late night prayers like Tahajjud and Hajat. This requires us to sleep and waking up late in the night or early in the morning just before sahur to do these prayers. Dzikir or remembering Allah through prayer is also encouraged during this time. This would also be a good time of contemplation. Wee hours of the morning when the rest of the world is asleep we are in one with the dawn and Allah.

Giving alms, charity, feeding the poor and opening our doors to others for iftar is encouraged during this month. Though a mandatory religious tax payment is require which is also known as zakat fitrah, Muslims are encouraged to give to the less fortunate in other forms and more than usual. Zakat Fitrah has to be paid to the religious bodies before the morning of 1st Syawal. The fitrah money is used to help the less fortunate with food clothing home and any other things they need. Fitrah means purity, cleansing and that’s the state we hope to come out of after Ramadan.

Fasting is done by not only Muslims but non Muslims as well though reasons may vary. Fasting has been used as a means to make a statement, lose weight, seek spiritual awakening, religious observances, to clean the out the body and the list goes. Though fasting in the Muslim does yield the above mentioned intents, the real reason why Muslims fast is as a religious obligation among us and to earn Allah’s blessings and rewards.

As Muslims we believe that the month of Ramadan offers great blessings on a personal level and on a wider scale that involves the human race on the whole. The revelations of the Qu’ran started on this month. Scrolls of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) peace be upon was revealed to him in this month. The same thing is to be said about the Zaboor, Torah and Injeel all were revealed in the month of Ramadan to Dawood (David), Moses & Jesus (peace be upon him) respectively.

We believe that we will be rewarded with blessings if we fast with full faith & expectation. I have included a short list of just some of the blessings and benefits that Ramadan brings. These were taken from Holy Qu’ran and Hadith (words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Fasting aside from refraining from food and drink, is also about taqwa. This concept mean fearing Allah, practicing his revelation, accepting the little things that one has achieved, feel the hardships so that we be always be grateful for all the little or big blessings that has been given to us. It is also about self discipline, self control, self restrain, self education and self evaluation which does happen a whole lot in the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan too is when all the doors of heaven are open, doors of hell are closed, devils are chained down and the spirits of those who have passed are released for the month. Even though the devils are chained down, and doors of hell are closed, there is still remnants of the devils wrath that can affect our fast and actions during that month. So that is when the trials & tribulations come in especially when it comes to battling our personal demons.

Apart for its spiritual benefits, fasting also offers its health benefits like purification of body from toxins, weight loss, purity of mind, rejuvenation of body and so on. Thus as Muslims when we fast were not losing out instead were gaining health, faith, positives things in this world and in the hereafter.

There is a night in Ramadan called the Lailatul Qadr or the night of power. The night though we don’t know when the exact day is, is promised to us on the last ten days of the fasting month and it is said that it falls on the odd night of the last 10 nights. During this time, we try our best to do extra worshipping and good deeds with hope of having the chance to experience this night of power where we are promised the forgiveness of our mistakes big and small. The idea of hiding the exact date of the night of power allows the believers to seek more fervently and reap the best of the harvests in reward.

Ramadhan is a month of forgiveness, a month where you prayers are answered and this is promised by Allah when we fast, pray and do good sincerely. Therefore in this month, Muslims take a step back from their daily routines and spent extra time doing what is commanded and encouraged in this month and constantly asking for forgiveness from past sins with hope that all the good we strive to do during this month will be accepted by Allah – Insya Allah (God Willing) and with all the struggles come celebration on Eidul-Fitri on the first of Syawal. And with celebrations, and seeking for forgiveness and asking for what we desire, lets not forget to give thanks for the many blessing that Allah has given us – in whatever sense it may be..

Fasting in Ramadan offers more than we would ever imagine. It teaches us to be patient with ourselves and the people around us as well as the situations that we face on a daily basis. It teaches how it feels to be without the basics of life like food and water and it makes us ever thankful that we have it at our disposal. It is to remind us of the less fortunate and most importantly it brings us closer to Allah and to our fellow humans on the whole. Faith is strengthened ties renewed – come syawal we are better individuals insya Allah (God willing) It teaches sacrifice of time. of body of self but what it promises in this world and the hereafter is priceless and worth every moment.

A little note from me ..

I hope my little write up on Ramadan give a clearer insight to my non Muslim friends about of what Ramadan is and what it yields. As I write this I am reminded once again of what it means to fast and what it brings with it. Its like re educating myself on all over again.

Much of notes are mine and some were taken from the following books ..

Fasts as Ordained Before You (The Traditions of fasts according to the Jewish, Christian & Muslim Scriptures) by Muhammad Umar CHand

Fasting Regulations & Practices by Ahmad H. Sakr.