Ramadan FAQ

What is important to know about Ramadan? Ramadan (also written as Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, Ramdan, Ramadaan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality

Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of Allah and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards about ten days each year as it is a moving holiday depending on the moon. The Islamic calendar follows a lunar cycle. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were said to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

How did Ramadan start? Are there any saints or Prophets attached to the tradition? Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, has been a part of the faith pretty much since its beginning. Ramadan is a call from Allah, and is not a requirement that comes from the Prophet Muhammad or any particular religious figure.

When will Ramadan start? When will it end? All Islamic months begin with the sighting of the new moon. Different communities follow different protocol for the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan—some wait to actually see the new moon where they live, signifying the start of the holy month. But other Islamic organizations and shura councils have taken it upon themselves to rely upon scientific calculations of the lunar cycle to determine when a new moon will be.

Similarly, the end of Ramadan comes when the new moon signifying the next Islamic month (and the end of Ramadan) is seen. Again, various Islamic organizations have declared when Ramadan will end based upon scientific calculations. Because Muslims follow a lunar calendar, their calendar shifts by 10 days every year, which means that some years fasting occurs during long, summer months, and other years fasting occurs during the short daylight hours of winter months — depending on where you live.

The Fiqh Council of North America offers dates for the start and end of Ramadan based on scientific calculation. The debate between predetermining the start and end of Ramadan and actually sighting the new moon is one that is waged every year in Muslim communities around the world, sometimes resulting in Ramadan starting and Eid being on different days within a single city or community (if the mosques in that city follow varying protocols).

What is the significance of fasting in Ramadan? The most prominent physical event of this month is fasting. Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat a meal called sahur (or sehri or sahari ), and then they perform the fajr prayer. Muslims must stop eating and drinking before the call for prayer starts for the first prayer of the day— fajr . Fasting lasts until the fourth prayer of the day, maghrib , which occurs at sunset. When the sun sets, that is when Muslims break their fast. Muslims break their fast with a meal called iftar . Muslims may continue to eat and drink after the sun has set until the next morning's fajr prayer call. Then the process starts all over.

Ramadan is a time of reflecting and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual activities during fasting hours are also forbidden. Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised awareness of closeness to God.

The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity ( Zakat ). Fasting also reminds Muslims of all they are blessed with and teaches them to be thankful to God for their blessings and give charity.

Are any Muslims exempt from fasting? Muslims should start observing the fasting ritual upon reaching the age of puberty, so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. Many children and their parents also make the decision to begin fasting based on when Ramadan occurs—in the U.S., fasting during the winter months is much shorter than during the summer months. Also, children often ease into fasting—doing a few during their first Ramadan and eventually fasting for the entire month in the next year's Ramadan. Fasting is not meant to be a burden, and thus parents and their children decide how best to begin fasting and the ideal age.

While fasting is not considered compulsory in childhood, many children endeavor to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life.

The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns. A difference of opinion exists among Islamic scholars as to whether this last group must make up the days they miss at a later date, or feed poor people as a recompense for days missed. Lastly, those traveling ( musaafir ) are exempt, but must make up the days they miss.

How should the elderly and disabled handle Ramadan? The elderly or those who suffer from a disability or disease and have no prospect of getting better in the future can pay the cost of iftar for a person who cannot afford it (for every day of Ramadan they cannot fast), or else they can host such a person in their house and have him eat with them after sunset as a way of repaying for the days they could not fast.

What happen if you accidentally break your fast? There are times when a person who is fasting in Ramadan may forget that he or she is fasting, and accidentally eat or drink something. In such an instance, one might spit out the food being eaten or cease the forbidden activity, immediately upon remembering the fast. Then they can renew their intention to fast and continue doing so the rest of the day.

Are there any particular food to eat before fasting or to break one's fast? Depending upon where a Muslim resides, culture and tradition dictate the foods that are prepared during Ramadan. There are particular foods and special culinary preparations that occur in nearly every Muslim community and in nearly every Muslim family around the world. The one food tradition that binds most Muslims together is the use of dates to break one's fast. Dates, which are a typical Middle Eastern fruit, was the food of choice for the Prophet Muhammad when he broke his fast. It is strongly recommended for Muslims to break their fast by saying a special prayer and then eating a date before eating anything else. If dates aren't to be found, water is a good second choice to break one's fast.

Are there any special prayers to day during Ramadan? Is there a special prayer to say before beginning one's fast? Before fasting, a Muslim should make his or her intention to fast, or niyyat . There also is a special prayer that must be said when breaking one's fast, before actually eating something. There are other prayers that are recommended to be said during the first ten days of Ramadan, the second ten days, and the last ten days.

Is reading the Qur'an significant during Ramadan? What else happens during this month? In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih , which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole chapter of the Qur'an ( Juz , which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Typically a hafiz , someone who has memorized the Qur'an, will lead this prayer and recite one chapter every night during prayers that physically resemble the motions of Muslims' five daily prayers. Therefore, the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.

Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need. There is also a social aspect involving the preparing of special foods and inviting people for iftar .

In many Muslim and non-Muslim countries with large Muslim populations, markets close down in the evening to enable people to perform prayers and consume the iftar meal—these markets then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, and spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours.

Are there any days or nights that are particularly important during Ramadan? Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures," Laylat al-Qadr, also known as Shab-e- Qadr, is considered the most holy night of the year during the month of Ramadan, as it is the night in which the Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad. Muslims believe it to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th (in Sunni thought) or the 19th, 21st or 23rd (in Shi'a thought).

Since Laylat al-Qadr could be any one of the odd nights during the last ten days of Ramadan, those are particularly good times for worship and prayer. However, concentrated prayer and worship are recommended during the entire month—not just during the last ten days.

Is there a holiday at the end of Ramadan? What do Muslims do on that holiday for fun? The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. The Eid falls after 29 or 30 days of fasting, per the lunar sighting. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the Fast, and it is a very special celebration—one of two holidays for Muslims. Money is donated to the poor ( Zakat al-fitr ); everyone puts on their best (usually new) clothes; and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. Many Muslim families decorate their houses and give gifts to their children. The Eid prayer is two Raka'ahs only, and it is an optional ( mustahabb ) prayer as opposed to the compulsory five daily prayers. Muslims are expected to do this as an act of worship, and to thank God.

Have more questions? Send them to Dilshad D. Ali , the Managing Editor of Patheos' Muslim Portal.

Adapted from OnePakistan , with additions made by Dilshad D. Ali.