What is Ramadan?
August 11 is a big date for about a billion and a half people, but there’s just one problem: it doesn’t really show up on most calendars. It’s the beginning of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. For those other five billion people who don’t practice Ramadan, this post will be a small crash course in Ramadan.
Ramadan is a 30-day period of fasting for Muslims. They abstain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset. The reason is similar to fasting during Lent or Yom Kippur: to bring themselves closer to Allah by getting rid of less important things and focusing on more important things like reading the Quran. The only times to eat are in the early morning and at night. Young children and people who might be negatively affected by not eating are exempt from fasting.
Tradition states that Ramadan was when Muhammad the prophet received the first texts from the Quran, a very momentous event for Islam. It also marks the anniversary of the Battle of Badr, a decisive victory for the Muslims against the idol-worshippers.
The day after Ramadan is Eid ul-Fitr. The holiday celebrates the end of the fasting period by eating a good meal and wearing new clothes. For 2010, Ramadan starts on August 11, and Eid ul-Fitr is on September 10. Each year the month moves forward eleven or twelve days because the Islamic calendar is that much shorter. So in 2011, Ramadan will start on August 1.
So there you have it: a history lesson and a cultural experience all rolled into one post. And maybe next year the holiday will show up on more and more calendars.
Read on:
BBC – An Idiot’s Guide to Ramadan
Ramadan Awareness Campaign – Ramadan FAQ
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