What does Ramadan mean?
The Arabs followed a calendar that was a mix of lunar and solar calendars. Months were named according to the season in which they fell. Ramadan first fell in the days of summer and takes its name from the word ‘Ramida’, denoting intense heat. It is also called Ramadan because it burns away the sins of believers. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Why is Ramadan special?
The Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan to provide guidance. It was revealed in the night of Qadr, or The Night of Decree, in the last 10 days. It is the month in which Muslims were victorious in their first battle of Badr against the Quraish tribe in Mecca. It is also the month where sins burn and the reward for doing good is doubled.
When was fasting prescribed for Muslims?
According to Islam, Adam was the first prophet and human being. All prophets, starting with Prophet Adam and ending with Prophet Mohammed, observed the fast at one time or another. On fasting, the Quran says it is: “made mandatory on you just like it was on those who came before you so that you may attain the state of God-Consciousness .”[2:183] But that verse about fasting doesn’t refer to Ramadan. Prophet Mohammed would fast the same number of days as the Jews, which was fewer than nine. Then Allah introduced His command to fast for 30 days in the month of Ramadan.
What do the Quran, Bible and Torah say about fasting?
“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for your ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” [Quran 2:185]
Moses fasted for 40 days in preparation for receiving the Ten Commandments. “So he was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the 10 commandments [Exodus 34:28]
The Gospel of Matthew says that Jesus, son of Mary, “after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry”. [4:21]
What is Laylat Al Qadr or Night of Decree?
Also known as the night of power, night of destiny, and night of nobility and honour, it is considered the holiest night of the year for Muslims everywhere. It is the night in which the Quran was revealed although the Prophet Mohammed did not specify which night it was, except that it fell in the last 10 days of Ramadan. Because the Quran says the people in the time of older prophets lived much longer lives than now, the Prophet Mohammed was concerned that his people would not be able to worship enough. So Allah gave him the gift of the night of decree. Good deeds on this night are equal to those that would normally take more than 1,000 months (83 years and 4 months). If a believer lives long enough to witness the night of power for 50 years, it is as though he has worshipped Allah for 4,000 years.
What is I’tikaf? Are women allowed to do this?
It is a ritual practised by the Prophet Mohammed on a regular basis and later by Muslims, especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan. It is defined as a spiritual retreat in the mosque, where people performing I’tikaf devote their evenings and late nights to praying and reading the Quran. Many Muslims take the opportunity in the holy month to recite and complete the entire Quran. Women perform the ritual as well, some preferring to do it in seclusion at home, as it need not be restricted to the mosque. I’tikaf is a chance for reconnecting with Allah and holding up a mirror to oneself and repenting. After several days of this kind of meditation, where most stay in I’tikaf for three days (from sunrise of the first day until the sunset of the third day), it is said that some worshippers become a little ill as their body gets rid of the worldly “poison” it has ingested over the year. While I’tikaf can be done anytime during the year it is preferred during Ramadan, as Prophet Mohammed said: “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the most rebellious devils are chained.”
Is Zakat given in Ramadan but not other months?
Zakat, or alms giving, is an obligatory act of charity. It is one of the pillars of Islam, where Muslims who have income must give out annually a certain amount of charity based on their accumulated wealth, gold and crops. Zakat can be given at any time of the year but many Muslims prefer it in the month of Ramadan because the rewards are doubled in the holy month. It is narrated that Prophet Mohammed, who was always generous, was more so in the month of Ramadan and in one of his sayings he told his companions that “whoever performs an obligatory act during [Ramadan] it is as one who performed 70 obligations at other times”. One form of charity is to feed the poor and give out iftar. The Messenger said: “Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in this reward.”
How many times did the Prophet Mohammed fast?
According to different sources, the number of Ramadans the Messenger kept the fast is said to be between eight and nine. Fasting was made a pillar of Islam and obligatory in the second year of Hijrah (migration), and the Prophet died in the 11th year of Hijrah. There are many benefits to fasting for both the body and the soul, and therefore Prophet Mohammed would fast many times throughout the year besides Ramadan. “There is a gate to Paradise that is called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say: ‘Where are those who fasted?’ When the last [one] has passed through the gate, it will be locked,” the Prophet said.
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