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FaithYou are in: Lancashire > Faith > What is Ramadan?  What is Ramadan?Daniyah Hafiz gives us an insight into the Muslim month of fasting... The Muslim holy month of Ramadan started on Monday 1st September 2008... it's a month when Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. Daniyah Hafiz tells us all about Ramadan...Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is one of the most important months for Muslims as it is believed this is the month that the Qu'ran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (Pbuh). During this month all healthy Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset when they must refrain from all food, drink, gum chewing, any kind of tobacco use, and any kind of sexual contact. People who are physically or mentally unwell are exempt, as are people who are travelling, women who are pregnant, who are menstruating and children under twelve. If the fast is missed they should try to make up the fast at a later date, or make a donation to the poor instead. Ramadan or Sawn one of the five pillars of Islam which all Muslims are expected to follow, the other four are Faith (Shahadah); Prayer (Salah), Charitable Giving (Zakah), and the Pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj). Ramadan is not all about fasting though is it?The month is a time for spiritual reflection and prayer. Muslims are also expected to avoid gossiping, lying, envy, greed and other bad traits of character. Many people use the month to become better Muslims by praying more or reciting as much of the Qur'an as possible. They also read Taraweeh prayers each night which are a special feature of Ramadan. These are long prayers that take place every evening and last around an hour and a half to two hours. Muslims believe their good actions bring greater reward during these thirty days because the month has been blessed by Allah. It's also thought Satan is chained in hell during the month so cannot tempt believers. One of the last ten nights of Ramadan is believed to be the holiest night of the whole month as it's thought that was the night the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed through the Angel Gabriel. It's not known which night it is apart from it being one of the odd number nights but Muslims are told praying throughout this night is the equivalent of a thousand months of prayer. So what happens during Ramadan?Fasting reminds Muslims of the suffering of the poor who often don't get to eat well. During Ramadan most Muslims will tend to wake up just before sunrise to eat a meal or some food and this is known as Sehri or Suhoor. They will then not be able to eat or drink again until sunset when it is traditional to open the fast with a date and then eat and this meal is known as Ithar or Iftari The reason people open their fasts with a date is because this is what the Prophet Mohammed is supposed to have broken his fast with. Some people hold Iftari parties where they prepare lots of food and then invite people round to eat. What happens at the end of the month?Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon which can cause confusion as some imams say the moon has been sighted on one day and others say its been sighted on another day! But once the moon has been sighted by a reliable source usually by the imam of your local mosque, Muslims celebrate Eid Ul Fitr. It begins with a special Eid prayer and then Muslims dress up and go out and meet each other, have special meals and exchange gifts. It's traditional for Muslims to say Eid Mubarak to each other which means Happy Eid. last updated: 05/09/2008 at 12:05 Have Your Say
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