Ramadan << ram uh DAHN or rahm uh DAHN >> is an Islamic holy month when Muslims may not eat or drink from morning until night. The term Ramadan comes from the word Ramz, meaning great heat or burning. Ramadan is believed to cleanse a person of sins. Muslims are supposed to seek forgiveness from God during this month.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year. Because the Islamic calendar is based on lunar months rather than on solar months as the Western Gregorian calendar is, Ramadan falls at different times of the year. Muslims celebrate Ramadan as the month during which the prophet Muhammad received the first of the revelations that make up the Qur’ān, the holy book of Islam.
All Muslims must fast if they have reached puberty and are of sound mind. Exceptions are made for some groups, such as the sick, the elderly, pregnant women, and travelers. Those who are able, however, must make up the missed fast days at a later time. A Muslim who deliberately breaks the fast must atone by fasting for two months or feeding the poor.
Fasting begins at dawn and lasts until sunset. During this time, Muslims cannot eat food or drink beverages, inhale tobacco smoke, or engage in sexual activity. The daily fast is broken by a light meal called the iftar, followed by the evening prayer.
Fasting helps Muslims to experience and apply many teachings from the Qur`an in their daily lives. Such teachings include compassion, self control, and spiritual reflection. Fasting also teaches Muslims to sympathize with those who are less fortunate than they are.
The nights during Ramadan are devoted to special prayers and to recitations from the Qur’ān. During the last 10 days, some Muslims seclude themselves in a mosque to devote time to prayer and religious contemplation. The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a great festival called Īd al-Fitr.
