Riley Wang, rw163@uakron.edu
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time where Muslims around the world form a deeper connection with God, do good deeds and refrain from bad habits, and fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is also a time of celebration and reunion with family and friends.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the Lunar cycle and each month begins and ends with the sighting of the new moon. It is also 10-12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, so Ramadan begins 10-12 days earlier each year, allowing the holiday to be observed at different times of the year. In 2023, Ramadan begins around March 23rd and ends around April 20th depending on where you live.
Ramadan is marked by long hours of fasting from pre-dawn to sunset, about 11-16 hours depending on the time of the year, for a period of 29-30 days. Water is also not allowed during fasting. Muslims fast during Ramadan to nourish their relationship with God, develop self-discipline, gratitude, and compassion for the poor. Pregnant or nursing women, the sick, the elderly, and young children are not required to fast.
A typical day during Ramadan starts before dawn. Families get together and eat breakfast or Suhoor. Suhoor consists of a variety of healthy foods to fuel the body before a long day of fasting. In Turkey, people eat Ramazan pidesi, a fluffy bread topped with sesame and nigella seeds. It is eaten alongside Turkish coffee, labneh (mediterranean soft cheese), and jam for Suhoor. After eating, the family performs the morning prayer. Muslims must pray five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark. Prayers are especially important during the holy month of Ramadan because it allows self-reflections and shows one’s devotion to God. At sunset the family breaks the fast with dates and water, this is called Iftar. Iftar is followed by evening prayers and a large dinner shared with family and friends. A wide variety of foods are eaten during Iftar and different regions around the world serve dishes unique to their culture and location. In the Middle East, people eat dolma; seasoned rice, vegetables, and minced meat stuffed in vine leaves. In Northern Africa, Chorba Frik, a stew made with lamb, vegetables, spices, and an ancient grain called freekeh, is enjoyed. In Southeast Asia, colorful steamed layered cakes, made with glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour and coconut milk, are a staple for dessert. After eating the delicious foods at Iftar, many families will end their day at the mosque, Muslim place of worship, where a special Ramadan prayer, taraweeh, is performed. During taraweeh, the prayer leader recites a portion of the Quran, the Islamic holy book, so that by the end of the month the entire Quran will be recited. The Night of Power or Laialt-al Qadar, often observed on the 27th day during Ramadan, is considered to be the most blessed night of the month because during that night, it is believed that God revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad. Muslims commemorate this special night by reading the whole Quran during Ramadan.
At the end of Ramadan, there is a three day long celebration called Eid ul-Fitr, or the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”. Children receive new clothes and gifts, friends and family spend the day socializing and eating delicious food. People greet each other with the phrase Eid Mubarack, which means “blessed holiday”.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world and around 1.6 billion Muslims will observe Ramadan this month. During Ramadan, Muslims practice self-control, gratitude, and forge deeper spiritual relationships. They do this by fasting from sunrise to sunset, doing charity work, praying, and reading the Quran. Ramadan is also a time of celebration, where family and friends celebrate with delicious foods.
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