Ramadan marks the beginning of the holiest time of the year (Part 11)

By Shan Razack –

Why Muslims fast
For Muslims, fasting has a number of benefits:
* It helps one to feel compassion for those who are less fortunate and under-privileged for what they have as a result of feeling hunger and thirst.
* It allows one to build a sense of self-control and willpower, which can be beneficial throughout life in dealing with temptations and peer pressure.
* It offers a time for Muslims to purify their bodies, as well as their souls, by developing a greater sense of humanity, spirituality and community. Ramadan is a very spiritual time for Muslims, and often they invite each other to one another’s home to break the fast and pray together. As with other duties in Islam, fasting becomes obligatory after puberty.
Ramadan
Ramadan is important for Muslims because it is believed to be the month in which the first verses of the Holy Quran, (the divine scripture) were revealed by Allah (God) to the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). From time to time, Muhammad (SAWS) used to go out from Mecca, where he was born and where he worked as caravan trader, to reflect and meditate in solitude. Like Abraham before him, he had never accepted his people’s worship of many gods, and felt a need to withdraw to a quiet place to reflect on the One God.
One night, while meditating in a cave near Mecca, he heard a voice calling out, telling him to “read”. Muhammad (SAWS) found himself reciting the first verses of the Holy Quran.
The voice was that of Angel Gabriel, and he confirmed that Muhammad (SAWS) was chosen for an important and challenging mission – he was to call the people to monotheism, the belief in one God, and righteousness. Muslims believe that over a period of 23 years, various verses and chapters of the Holy Quran were revealed to Muhammad (SAWS) through Gabriel. The Quran is comprised of 114 chapters of varying length.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day. This means not consuming food and drink, including water, during the daylight hours. In the Arabic language, fast is known as sawm. Muslims rise early in the morning during Ramadan to have a pre-dawn breakfast meal known as suhoor.
At the end of the day the fast is completed by taking the after meal, which usually includes dates, fresh fruits, beverages and dinner. Later in the evening, Muslims attend special nightly tarawih prayers at their local mosque, during which approximately one-thirtieth of the Holy Quran is recited, so that the entire scripture is recited in the course of the 29 or 30 days of the month.
Unfortunately, the non-Muslim world views Ramadan as a month of fasting and merely the abstinence from food and drink. Ramadan is a strict and exact training period, for every God-fearing man and woman. It exposes the Muslim to a way of life that prepares them to face the challenges of their socio-economic and spiritual existence.
Ramadan encourages Muslims to renew their pledges and strive continuously to gain the pleasure of Allah. In every corner of the globe, where Muslims exist as a community, their exercises and observances are the same despite ethnic, cultural differences and climatic conditions.
The constant Salaah, recitation of the Holy Quran, observing the fast, paying the Zakat, result from strong Imaan. This places the Muslims in an enviable position to understand the conditions faced by the poor and needy. This creates the feeling of God consciousness (taqwa). This is the time through the khutbah, discussions and practices, Muslims are reminded of the lofty ideals of Islam and the solutions for the world’s problems.
Ramadan is the month for inculcation of virtues, Islamic values, and morals. Allah promises the rewards of good deeds to be multiplied from 10 to 700 times. This is the period when we come to grips with our physical desires and weaknesses. This is the time we are able to measure our strengths and shortcomings.
Ramadan helps us to see who we really are. It is indeed a testing period to examine the extent to which we are prepared to make sacrifices for the pleasure of Allah. Refusal to observe the commands is a sign of kufr (disbeliever). The sacrifices we are expected to make, increases, our Imaan and cause us to develop taqwa, which is precisely the object of fasting.
Eid ul-Fitr
After Ramadan, Muslims celebrate a very festive and joyous holiday known as Eid ul-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast. On the day of Eid, Muslims attend special congregational prayers in the morning, wearing their best clothes, after the completion of the prayers and special sermon, Muslims rise to greet and hug one another, saying “Eid Mubarak”, which means “Holy Blessings”.
Later, Muslims families visit each other’s homes, and have special meals together. Children are often rewarded with gifts, money and sweets. Light and other decorations mark the happy occasion.
Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak. Ramadan Mubarak.