Holy Ramadan Guide - Ezsoftech.com

F.A.Q on RamadanQ: What is Ramadan?A: Ramadan is the ninth (9) month of the Islamic calendar. In this month Muslims all over theworld fast from dawn to dusk.Q: When does Ramadan begin?A: Muslims follow the Islamic Lunar calendar which isabout eleven (11) days shorter than the Georgian calendar.This makes a lunar year 354 days long in comparisonto 365 days in a Solar year. The beginning of the Islamiclunar months depends on the actual sighting of the newmoon. Thus Ramadan begins on a different day eachyear.Q: Is it not an inconvenience to begin the fasting period at different times during a year?A: No, on the contrary the lunar calendar gives us a chance of fasting during different seasons ofthe year. Throughout a Muslim’s lifetime, Ramadan will fall both during fall and winter months,when the days are short, as well as spring and summer months, when the days are long and the fastis little more difficult. In this way, the difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between Muslim’sliving in the northern and southern hemispheres.Q: Isn’t it difficult to perform the fast in North America?A: In many ways, fasting in North American society is easier than fastingin areas where the climate is extremely hot. This year (2005) at least, thenumber of daylight hours will be less than when Ramadan occurs duringthe fall. In Muslim countries, most people are observing the fast, so thereare fewer temptations such as luncheon meetings, daytime celebrationsand offers of food from friends. Many American Muslims would prefer adaytime work shift during Ramadan so that they may break the fast with their families and attendevening prayers.Q: What is meant by Sawm (fasting) during Ramadan?A: In Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and other sensual pleasures from dawnto dusk. The fast is performed to obey God’s command withan aim to inculcate discipline, humbleness and self-restraint,to experience what the poor and destitute feel, and to developthe noble habit of generosity.Xislamicoccasions.com presents Holy Ramadan Guide - 12