Goodbye Ramadan, Until Next Year...
“Ramadan Kareem” by Emirates LUG is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0By: Mohamed Nada/Arab America Contributing Writer
Ramadan is the time of month where people fast for an entire month from sunrise to sundown, without drinking any liquids or eating any type of food.
For most of the Muslim community it is a holy holiday that teaches the people what it is like to fast, and more importantly, teach the people how it is like for someone to be in the same shoes as someone who is poor and is unable to eat.
With that being said, it is a great holiday to spend time with the family and shows that Muslim people are able to feel the pain of someone who is less fortunate.
What is Ramadan and Why is it Important to Fast?
To understand what Ramadan is we first have to go back to when it came about, which in this case an article written by Wesley Banes from Beliefnet put this in such an easy way to understand.
“Bless me” by Ding Digital Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0” Ramadan, which falls on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is the most religiously significant time of year for Muslims throughout the world. It marks the month in which the Quran—the holy text of Islam—was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel in 610 CE.”
Banes continues in his article about Ramadan talking about how:
“This is a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection for Muslims. During this time, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset, and strive to avoid thoughts and behavior which are considered to be impure under the tenets of Islam. Muslims believe that the spiritual rewards for this good behavior are increased during Ramadan.”
Ramadan is Done Everywhere Without you Even Realizing It.
Yes, it is true, even when it is the Holy Month of Ramadan, people do fast for dietary reasons.
For example, one way a person can fast is through intermittent fasting, similar to ways of Ramadan where you do not eat for a certain period of time, but not very rigorous.
“3 – Breakfast” by ethnosax is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Studies have been made that we as humans have been doing this for thousands of years, and is very customary to us as humans. Many reasons why people fast is due to:
- Sickness
- Lack of food
- etc.
Our bodies are very capable of going long hours without eating food, or else we would have not survived all these years.
For many people who do this, they do this to help them stop eating food at certain times, and helps a person lose considerable weight if done properly.
Most people who are into fitness look into this technique to help them achieve the body style that they are desiring.
The Last 10 Days are Always the Toughest
We as Muslims have always understood that the last 10 days are always the toughest, but, as a matter of fact, are the most rewarding days you will achieve once you get through them.
Since the days get longer, and it is the home stretch of Ramadan it is always important to realize that in terms of religion the last 10 days are a calling to the people for their forgiveness so that God could forgive them for their sins.
“Governor Host Ramadan Reception” by MDGovpics is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Sohaib Awan from Desert News also mentions how the last 10 days of Ramadan:
“During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims will seek the night of destiny, which is mentioned in the Quran in these words: “And what should make thee know what the Night of Destiny is? The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months” (97:3-4). This means that a single night in which one recognizes his/her Creator is better than a lifetime that is spent in ignorance.”
Awan also goes on to finish the article by saying how:
“The last ten days of Ramadan will provide an opportunity for Muslims to practice these virtues. Muslims can ensure peace within their communities, and the society around them, by adopting these virtues in their daily lives and demonstrating the true meaning behind this most sacred time of the year.”
“Ramadan Card” by Zeesh ✪ Zeeshan is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Now that Ramadan is officially coming to end, it has been a journey for many people, and it has been long-awaited to celebrate Eid Mubarak. Inshallah this year will mark many great things to come for the future, and we are waiting to fast the next time Ramadan comes.
Happy Eid!!!
Check out Arab America’s blog here!
Intro: Can you actually believe it’s that time of year again? With it only being one month, and you can not have anything to eat or drink from sunrise to sundown. Are you starting to get a hint on what this holy event is? Arab America contributing writer, Mohamed Nada, talks about the holy month of Ramadan and shows the importance of it in the Arab World.
