THE STORY OF RAMADAN


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Ramadan (/ˌræməˈdɑːn/, also US: /ˌrɑːm-, ˈræmədɑːn, ˈrɑːm-/,[6][7][8] UK: /ˈræmədæn/;[9] Arabic: رمضان‎, romanized: Ramaḍān [ramaˈdˤaːn];[note 1] Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,[10] observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection and community.[11] A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation,[citation needed] the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam[12] and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.[13][14]
Fasting from sunrise to sunset is fard (obligatory) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, or menstruating.[15] The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar.[16][17] Although fatwas have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca,[18] it is common practice to follow the timetable of the closest country in which night can be distinguished from day.[19][20][21]
The spiritual rewards (thawab) of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan.[22] Accordingly, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also tobacco products, sexual relations, and sinful behavior,[23][24] devoting themselves instead to salat (prayer), recitation of the Quran,[25][26] and the performance of charitable deeds[citation needed] as they strive for purity and heightened awareness of God (taqwa).[citation needed]
History

Chapter 2, Verse 185 in Arabic.
“ The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful.[Quran 2:185] ”
Muslims hold that all scripture was revealed during Ramadan, the scrolls of Abraham, Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and Quran having been handed down on the first, sixth, twelfth, thirteenth (in some sources, eighteenth)[28] and twenty-fourth Ramadans,[year needed] respectively.[29] Muhammed is said to have received his first quranic revelation on Laylat al-Qadr, one of five odd-numbered nights that fall during the last ten days of Ramadan.[30]
Although Muslims were first commanded to fast in the second year of Hijra (624 CE),[29] they believe that the practice of fasting is not in fact an innovation of monotheism[31] but rather has always been necessary for believers to attain taqwa (the fear of God).[32][Quran 2:183] They point to the fact that the pre-Islamic pagans of Mecca fasted on the tenth day of Muharram to expiate sin and avoid drought.[33] Philip Jenkins argues that the observance of Ramadan fasting grew out of "the strict Lenten discipline of the Syrian Churches," a postulation corroborated by other scholars, including theologian Paul-Gordon Chandler,[34][35] but disputed by some Muslim academics.[36]
Important dates
The first and last dates of Ramadan are determined by the lunar Islamic calendar.[3]
Beginning

Ramadan beginning dates between Gregorian years 1938 and 2038.
Because Hilāl, the crescent moon, typically occurs approximately one day after the new moon, Muslims can usually estimate the beginning of Ramadan;[37] however, many[who?] prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent.[38]
Night of Power
Main article: Laylat al-Qadr
Laylat al-Qadr is considered the holiest night of the year.[39][40] It is generally believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan; the Dawoodi Bohra believe that Laylat al-Qadr was the twenty-third night of Ramadan.[41][42]
Eid
Main articles: Eid al-Fitr and Eid prayers
The holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Arabic:عيد الفطر), which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal, the next lunar month, is declared after a crescent new moon has been sighted or after completion of thirty days of fasting if no sighting of the moon is possible. Eid celebrates of the return to a more natural disposition (fitra) of eating, drinking, and marital intimacy.[43]
Religious practices

Azim Azimzade. Ramadan of the poor people. 1938
The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar.[citation needed]
Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline, motivated by hadith:[44][45] "When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains."[46]
Fasting
Main article: Fasting during Ramadan
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking during this time, Muslims abstain from sexual relations[3] and sinful speech and behaviour. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control,[47] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).[48]
Exemptions to fasting include travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions[vague][who?] insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, although it is not recommended by hadith.[citation needed] Those unable to fast are obligated make up the missed days later.[49]
Suhoor
Main article: Suhoor

Iftar at Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Each day, before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called the suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr.[50][51]
Iftar
Main article: Iftar

At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar, traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad's practice of breaking the fast with three dates.[52][53][citation needed] They then adjourn for Maghrib, the fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served.[54]
Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan.[example needed] Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages.[55]
In the Middle East, iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal.[56][citation needed] Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf.[citation needed] Desserts may include luqaimat, baklava or kunafeh.[57]
Over time, the practice of iftar has involved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners.[58] The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the largest mosque in the UAE, feeds up to thirty thousand people every night.[59] Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.[60]

Iftar serving for fasting people in the Imam Reza shrine
Charity
Main articles: Zakāt and Sadaqah

Men praying during Ramadan at the Shrine of Ali or "Blue Mosque" in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Zakāt, often translated as "the poor-rate", is the fixed percentage of income a believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many[who?] donate a larger portion—or even all—of their yearly zakāt during this month.[citation needed]
Nightly prayers
Main article: Tarawih
Tarawih (Arabic: تراويح‎) are extra nightly prayers performed during the month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory.[61]
Recitation of the Quran
Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran, which comprises thirty juz' (sections), over the thirty days of Ramadan. Some Muslims incorporate a recitation of one juz' into each of the thirty tarawih sessions observed during the month.[62]
Cultural practices
In some Islamic countries, lights are strung up in public squares and across city streets,[63][64][65] a tradition believed to have originated during the Fatimid Caliphate, where the rule of Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was acclaimed by people holding lanterns.[66]
On the island of Java, many believers bathe in holy springs to prepare for fasting, a ritual known as Padusan.[67] The city of Semarang marks the beginning of Ramadan with the Dugderan carnival, which involves parading the Warak ngendog, a horse-dragon hybrid creature allegedly inspired by the Buraq.[68] In the Chinese-influenced capital city of Jakarta, firecrackers are widely used to celebrate Ramadan, although they are officially illegal.[69] Towards the end of Ramadan, most employees receive a one-month bonus known as Tunjangan Hari Raya.[70] Certain kinds of food are especially popular during Ramadan, such as large beef or buffalo in Aceh and snails in Central Java.[71] The iftar meal is announced every evening by striking the bedug, a giant drum, in the mosque.[72]
Common greetings during Ramadan include Ramadan mubarak and Ramadan kareem.[73]
During Ramadan in the Middle East, a mesaharati beats a drum across a neighbourhood to wake people up to eat the suhoor meal. Similarly in Southeast Asia, the kentongan slit drum is used for the same purpose.#fastitlinks.com