Ramadan Encyclopedia
RAMADAN is the major fast of the Islamic year, which falls in the ninth lunar month. Traditionally, Ramadan commences and ends with the sighting of the new moon, though now a standard calendar is more commonly used. The law of fasting is laid down in Quran (2: 183-189); not only in these verses but also in many other verses that urge the believers to do good deeds including praying and fasting.
During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and become closer to Allah and their loved ones. They do this by fasting and abstaining from pleasures like smoking, drinking, and sexual intercourse between sunrise and sunset each day. Ramadan is also a time for unity and spiritual reflection and Muslims spend time praying, reciting the Quran, and doing good deeds. They donate to charity, spend time with loved ones, and avoid lying, gossiping, and fighting.
When is Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the 12-month Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar that’s based on the phases of the moon. The lunar calendar falls short of the solar calendar by 11 days. As a result, Ramadan doesn’t start on the same date each year and instead, over time, passes through all the seasons.
The holy month is likely to begin on Saturday, April 2. But we will have to wait until the new crescent is seen to know the exact date, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. The new moon heralds the start of the ninth month of the calendar, called Ramadan. The task of spotting it falls to the moon sighting committee – a group of astronomers, court officials, and advisers from the country's Islamic authority – which typically convenes after maghrib, or sunset, prayers on the 29th day of Sha’ban, the eighth month, to look for the new crescent moon. If they see it, Ramadan begins the following day. If not, it will start the day after.
The process is repeated around the time of the next new moon. When that is spotted Ramadan ends, and Shawwal, the 10th month, begins. Ramadan lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the sighting is made.
The first week of Ramadan coincides with the second week of the spring school holidays, between the second and third terms. Once schools reopen, they will operate reduced hours – probably of no more than six hours a day during the remainder of the month. Ramadan will occur during the tourist season again. Restaurants will likely be able to serve diners without curtains or dividers. Many bars continue to serve liquor, as long as patrons are respectful and entertainment is kept to a minimum.
The Book’s Content
Al-Rayyan
Zakat-ul-Fitr
Deeds we should avoid
Good Deeds
Virtues of Fasting
The 12 Islamic Months
Pillars of Islam
The 3 Ashrahs of Ramadan
Laylatul-Qadr
Eid Sunnahs