RAMADAN-Ramzan information

RAMADAN  

What is Ramdan ?

Ramadan also known as Ramzan. There is no difference between this two words. Ramadan is the Arabic word and it describes the holy month while Ramzan, which is used more in India, means the same thing but is a Parsi word. It is the ninth month of the  Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon.

moon on temple ramdan

The start of Ramadan fluctuates each year because the lunar Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon.Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. Ramadan is very personal and individual and is a time for "sacrifice and renunciation as well as a period of reflection and spiritual growth".It is the Islamic month of  fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; 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  God 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. 

What is the Islamic Calendar?

The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. The month of Ramadan is 

the ninth month and begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations.

Ramzan moon image

The Islamic calendar, which is believed to begin in A.D. 622, is a lunar one. It has twelve lunar months of approximately 354 days and because it is eleven days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days tend to shift eleven days earlier each year and corresponds with the Gregorian calendar. The Islamic calendar began the day after the Hijra, the flight of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Mecca to Medina.

What is the History of Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is when the

 Prophet Mohammed was given the Qur’an. The word Ramadan is derived from rmd, which is an Arabic word for heat. The same root is used to refer to burnt earth, a hot climate or a lack of food. This relates to the daytime fasting that Muslims are expected to perform during Ramadan.

What is the Sentiment of Ramadan?

Ramadan brings out a special feeling of emotional excitement and religious zeal among Muslims of all ages. Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders. Children look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families. Adults appreciate the opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community all feel a particular closeness.

Fasting

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the religion of Islam. It is one of the highest forms of Islamic worship.Muslims have to change their whole physical and emotional selves during this 30 long days of fasting.

A typical day of fasting begins with getting up early, around 4:30a.m. and sharing a meal called Sahur together before the fast begins at dawn, about 5:10a.m. As dawn breaks, the first of five daily prayers, Fajr, is offered.

Muslims break their fast at Magrib (at sunset) prayer time with a meal called Iftar.

Happy ramzan

Muslims may continue to eat and drink after the sun has set until the next morning's 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. 

Prayer 

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 section of the Qur'an  is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.

Happy Ramzan

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 involved 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, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours.

The Last 10 days of Ramadan

The last ten days of Ramadan are considered highly blessed, especially the 27th night which is also called the ‘Night of Power’. It is believed that on this night the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an. For many Muslims, this period is marked by a heightened spiritual intensity and they may spend these nights praying and reciting the Qur’an.The last ten days of Ramadan are considered highly blessed, especially the 27th night which is also called the ‘Night of Power’, or the ‘Night of Destiny’. It is believed that on this night the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an. For many Muslims, this period is marked by a heightened spiritual intensity and they may spend these nights praying and reciting the Qur’an.

Ramadan and Eid

After 30 days of fasting, the end of the month of Ramadan is observed with a day of celebration, called Eid-ul-Fitr. 

Happy ramdan

On this day, Muslims gather in one place to offer a prayer of thanks. It is traditional to wear new clothes, visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts, eat delicious dishes prepared for this occasion, and wait patiently for the next year. During the Ramadan Festival ,the children visit their relatives and neigbours, they kiss their elders’ hand after that the elders give them candies and money.Therefore in Turkey Ramadan Festival is also called “ Candy Festival.