What is Ramadan?Ramadan is
the ninth month
of the Islamic Lunar calendar and the holiest of the four holy months.
It begins with the sighting of the new moon after which all physically
mature and healthy Muslims are obliged to abstain from all food, drink,
gum chewing, any kind of tobacco use, and any kind of sexual contact
between dawn and sunset. However, that is merely the physical component
of the fast; the spiritual aspects of the fast include refraining from
gossiping, lying, slandering and all traits of bad character. All
obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Purity of
thought and action is paramount. Ordained in the Quran, the fast is an
exacting act of deeply personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised
level of God-consciousness. The act of fasting redirects the hearts away
from worldly activities, towards The Divine.
The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing
good deeds and spending time with family and friends. The fasting is
intended to help teach Muslims self-discipline, self-restraint and
generosity. It also reminds them of the suffering of the poor, who may
rarely get to eat well. It is common to have one meal (known as the
Suhoor), just before sunrise and another (known as the Iftar), directly
after sunset. This meal will commonly consist of dates, following the
example of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him. Because Ramadan is a
time to spend with friends and family, the fast will often be broken by
different Muslim families coming together to share in an evening meal.
adapted from
ramadanfestival.co.uk
RAMADAN SPECIAL EDITION
Ramadan Fiqh issues Episode 1 Assim Al-Hakeem
Click to view all 23 episodes on Fiqh of Ramdan