Ramadan marks the beginning of the holiest time of the year PART 1

By Shan Razack

As the crescent moon is sighted, and the holy month of Ramadan begins May you find peace, As you offer your prayers and fast. In the holy month of Ramadan, May Allah’s rahmat Shine on you! The most beautiful things in life must be seen from the heart. For one-fifth of the world’s population, this month marks the beginning of the holiest time of the year – Islam’s Ramadan.
During this time, one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe – from the southern Philippines to Nigeria – are united by their common Islamic faith.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Muslims
Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events that have come to be associated with the faith. About 18 per cent live in the Arab world.
The world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia and substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslims, while significant numbers can be found in Eastern and Western Europe, North and South America and China.

The lunar calendar
The Islamic month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the 12 months in the Islamic lunar calendar.
Muslims use a lunar calendar for many of their religious observances. A new month in the lunar calendar is determined by the appearance of the moon. Since this occurs every 29 or 30 days, dates of events in the Islamic lunar year “move forward” about 11 days every year.

The five pillars of faith
The “five pillars” of Islam are the framework of Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self purification and the pilgrim age to Mecca, for those who are able.
Faith: There is no God worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad (SAWS), is his messenger.
This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula, which all the faithful pronounce. The first part can refer to anything that is put in place of God – wealth, power and the like. The second part tells us that the message of God’s guidance comes through a man such as ourselves.
Prayer: Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers, which are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There are no priests in Islam, no one in charge, so the prayers, are led by a learned person who knows the Holy Quran and, is chosen by the congregation.
These five prayers contain verses from the Holy Quran and are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall.
Although it is preferable to pray in a mosque, a Muslim may pray anywhere, such as in the fields, offices, schools, trains and factories.
Zakat: One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is, therefore, held by human beings in trust. The word Zakat means both purification and growth. Our possessions are purified, by setting aside a portion for those in need. And, like pruning a plant, this cutting back encourages and balances new growth. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakat individually.
For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two per cent of one’s capital.
Fasting: Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown. Those who are sick, elderly, pregnant or on a journey, are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed.
Pilgrimage (Hajj): The annual pilgrimage to Mecca – the Hajj – is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Mecca each year from every corner of the globe.
Although Mecca is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the 12th month of the Islamic year. Pilgrims wear special clothes such as simple garments that strip away distinctions of class and culture so that all stand equal before God.
Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak.