Ramadan a period of faithfulness and reward
During the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims participate in a 30-day fast that begins at sunrise and ends at sunset.
According to www.islamicity.com, more than 1.2 billion Muslims in all parts of the world participate in Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim year. As a reward for their faithfulness, those who observe Ramadan are blessed a thousand times for every single good deed they accomplish, said Nabeel Khan, a Muslim sophomore in the electrical and computer engineering department and vice president of student life for the International Student Council.
“It is the most enjoyable month,” Khan said. “The fast is for the flourishment of the soul.”
Ramadan is a time for charity and goodness, Khan said. He said it is a time to know how it feels to go without food and to donate to those who go hungry. It is also a time to be on your best behavior, purify your body, reconnect with God, and practice self-control.
Abstaining from food and water is not the only element of the fast. During Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to refrain from sexual relations and other habits like smoking.
This month is also special to Muslims because it is the time of year that the Quran was revealed by God to Mohammed, Khan said. The mosque is full during Ramadan, with many gathered there for group prayer.
The exact date of Ramadan changes with every calendar year.
“Our Islamic calendar is different from the Roman calendar,” Khan said. “Each year Ramadan comes 10 days earlier than the preceding year.”
Because of the lunar calendar, Ramadan is continually changing season, too.
The fast is observed by all adult Muslims, according to www.islamicity.com. However, those who are sick or traveling are exempt from the fast under the premise that they will make up for the missed days later on. Pregnant or nursing women are also encouraged to skip the fast. If the fast cannot be made up, a needy person must be fed for each day missed instead.
The length of each individual’s daily fast can depend upon his location because of the different sunrise and sunset times.
“Here the fast is very easy. Time passes quickly. It is not as hot here and the days are shorter and the nights are long,” Khan said.
He said Ramadan does not affect his school work greatly and that this is his second year in which finals week fell during Ramadan.
After Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid, the post-Ramadan holiday. Everyone greets each other and gathers at one another’s homes for celebratory meals. Muslims look forward to Eid much like Christians look forward to Christmas, Khan said.
To learn more about Ramadan and the Muslim faith, visit www.jannah.com, or www.islam.com. You can also visit the Logan Islamic Center, located at 748 N. 600 East. Muslim services are held on Friday.