Ramadan 2023 which begins on March 22 is expected to last 30 days.Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
The Indian Panorama congratulates followers of Islam on the auspicious occasion.
A Muslim woman prays after breaking fast at sunset at the Islamic Center of Greater Miami.
Lynne Sladky/AP- Every year, Muslims around the world anticipate the sighting of the new crescent moon that signifies the official first day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the most sacred month in Islamic culture. The start of Ramadan fluctuates each year because the lunar Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon. The beginning and end of Ramadan are determined by a moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia. It begins the day after the committee spots the new crescent moon, which can be tricky since it’s quite faint and can be seen for only about 20 minutes. If the moon isn’t visible to the naked eye because of haze or clouds, lunar calculations are used to predict whether it’s in the sky. This year Ramadan is predicted to begin on March 23, and to end April 21 with Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
Origin of Ramadan
Ramadan, one of the months in the Islamic calendar, was also part of ancient Arabs’ calendars. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. Muslims believe that in A.D. 610, the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power”—is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran.
The Quran consists of 114 chapters and is taken to be the direct words of God, or Allah. The hadith, or accounts by the companions of Prophet Muhammad’s thoughts and deeds, supplement the Quran. Together they form the religious texts of Islam.
How Ramadan is observed
During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah. They do this by praying and reciting the Quran, making their actions intentional and selfless, and abstaining from gossiping, lying, and fighting.
Throughout the month, fasting between sunrise and sunset is obligatory for all Muslims, except for the ill, pregnant, traveling, elderly, or menstruating. Days missed fasting can be made up throughout the rest of the year, either all at once or one day here and there.
Meals are opportunities for Muslims to gather with others in the community and break their fast together. Pre-dawn breakfast, or suhoor, usually occurs at 4:00 a.m. before the first prayer of the day, fajr. The evening meal, iftar, can begin once the sunset prayer, Maghreb, is finished—normally around 7:30. Since the Prophet Mohammad broke his fast with dates and a glass of water, Muslims eat dates at both suhoor and iftar. A staple of the Middle East, dates are rich in nutrients, easy to digest, and provide the body with sugar after a long day of fasting. After the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate its ending with Eid al-Fitr—the “festival of breaking the fast”—which begins with communal prayers at daybreak. During these three days of festivities, participants gather to pray, eat, exchange gifts, and pay their respects to deceased relatives. Some cities host carnivals and large prayer gatherings, too.
But no matter what observers have planned for their traditional suhoor and iftar gatherings this year, the spirit of this centuries-old tradition will remain the same as a time for piety and self-reflection.
The Teachings of Ramadan
As mentioned, Ramadan is observed to honour the fourth pillar of Islam, known as Sawm. As per the history of Ramadan fasting, there are several reasons why Muslims are required to observe Sawm, including:
To demonstrate self-control and restraint
To cleanse their bodies
To be reminded that some people do not have access to food and go hungry every day
To be more compassionate and grateful for what they do have
To strengthen their bond with Allah
Religious practices
The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar.
Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline, motivated by hadith: “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains.”
Fasting
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking during this time, Muslims abstain from sexual relations and sinful speech and behaviour during Ramadan fasting or month. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat). Muslims also believe fasting helps instill compassion for the food-insecure poor.
Exemptions to fasting include travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, although it is not recommended by hadith. Those unable to fast are obligated to make up the missed days later.
Suhoor
Each day, before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called the suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr.
Iftar
At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar, traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad’s practice of breaking the fast with three dates. They then adjourn for Maghrib, the fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served.
Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages.
In the Middle East, iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal.Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf. Desserts may include luqaimat, baklava or kunafeh.
Over time, the practice of iftar has evolved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the largest mosque in the UAE, feeds up to thirty thousand people every night. Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Charity
Zakat, often translated as “the poor-rate”, is the fixed percentage of income a believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many Muslims donate a larger portion – or even all – of their yearly zak?t during this month.
Nightly prayers
Tarawih are extra nightly prayers performed during the month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory.
Recitation of the Quran
Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran, which comprises thirty juz’ (sections), over the thirty days of Ramadan. Some Muslims incorporate a recitation of one juz’ into each of the thirty tarawih sessions observed during the month.
Ramadan celebrations around the world
The Padusan is an act of purification for Indonesian Muslims. Before Ramadan begins, they bathe and cleanse themselves in the natural pools they believe to be holy as part of this purification ritual for cleansing the soul and preparing the body for fasting and prayer during the month of Ramadan.
One of the most colorful and beautiful Ramadan traditions around the world is the Fanous or lanterns of Ramadan.
Brightly colored lamps light up the neighbourhoods of Egypt creating a magical sight. Intricately made from metal and glass with unique designs and expert craftsmanship, the Fanous are now universally symbolic of world Ramadan celebrations.
Legend has it that in the year 969, Egyptians welcomed the arrival of Caliph Moezz Eddin Allah to Cairo by lighting his path with hundreds of lanterns.
Another Egyptian tradition is that of the Mesaharaty or night caller. The Mesaharaty walks around the neighbourhood streets, accompanied by the soft beating of the drum, calling for people to wake up.
Waking up to the beating of a drum is also common in Turkey. Here, they carry their Davul, or double-sided drum, while dressed in traditional Turkish garb, and beat and call people to wake as the roam the streets.
As a reward for their efforts, many share their suhoor, the meal before dawn and the long day of fasting begins.
Other families offer a modest tip or bahis in return for the delight of being woken to this traditional singing and drumming.
Morocco
The responsibility of waking believers up for suhoor in Morocco falls upon the Nafars. Dressed in the traditional gandora, a hat, and a pair of slippers, the Nafar sings wake-up prayers through the streets and laneways of their town before the sun has risen in the sky.
Kuwait
During the second week of the holy month of Ramadan, Kuwait celebrates the beginning of Gerga’aan. The three-day festival features Kuwaiti children dress in traditional costumes and go to to door showing off their garments and singing songs for sweets and chocolates after the evening prayer.
Neighbourhoods come alive with young people and songs of blessings. This tradition is said to have originated when Fatima, the first daughter of Prophet Mohammed, distributed sweets to people two weeks into one of the very first observances of Ramadan.
As the sun sets in Iraq during Ramadan, people of all ages enjoy Iftar feasts of lentil soup, lamb stews with thareed, broken pieces of flatbread dipped. This is followed by post-iftar sweets, shopping and an evening stroll among streets full of colour and lights.
Meanwhile, the men of the local neighbourhood gather together to play the game of Mheibes. Two large groups of between 20 to 250 people take turns to pass a ring among their teammates. One team sits on the ground with tight fists in their lap while the group leader secretly passes the ring to one of his team members. The other team than has to guess who has the ring. Passed down through generations, this game of skill is even played in national championships.
Lebanon
One of the oldest living Ramadan traditions around the world is Midfa al Iftar – the firing of cannons to symbolise the end of the daily fast.
This Ramadan tradition is said to have originated in Egypt almost 200 years ago when ruler Khosh Qadam accidentally fired a cannon at sunset. Across the streets of Cairo, the booming sound reverberated through the city and its people mistook the echoes for a sign to end their daily fasting.
This mistake proved so popular, it came to be a tradition around the gulf countries as a commemoration for breaking fast.
In Lebanon, families often mark Iftar with an abundance of stuffed grape leaves, hummus, fattoush and tabbouleh. Many charities and organisations and businesses host Iftar functions to raise money for the needy while mosques and churches alike host clothing drives and distribute Ramadan provisions.
India, Bangladesh and Pakistan
The last evening of Ramadan is known as Chaand Raat, or night of the moon. Much like the night before Christmas, this eve before Eid al Fitr is a time for last-minute shopping and errands in anticipation of the celebrations ahead.
Streets in South Asia are vibrant with festivity, girls and women flock to jewellery stores and pop-up henna stalls for rows of matching bangles and elaborate henna designs for their hands.
Using dye prepared from the Lawsonia inermis, known as the henna tree, artisans craft temporary body art in the same method people have used since the Bronze Age.
In Australia, the Chand Raat Eid Festival is one of the biggest multicultural celebrations. Beginning in Sydney in 1998, it has grown to become one of the largest events of its kind in the country. Three major events take place in Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne, which cater to a combined total of more than 50,000 people. Promoting friendship, understanding, interfaith harmony, and multiculturalism for people of all backgrounds, these non-alcoholic events are enjoyable for the whole family.
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