Ramadan begins in a few days. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, but the date changes each year.
The Ramadan start date for 2022 is expected to begin on Saturday 2 April, following the sighting of the moon over Mecca. Lasting for 30 days, it will end on Sunday 1 May, with the celebratory days of Eid al-Fitr. Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslim. It is celebrated as the month during which Muhammad received the initial revelations of the Quran, the holy book for Muslims.
Ramadhan marks the most important month of Islamic belief. It is the month that holds many mysteries and wonders. There are six important points that will be mentioned here that can shed light on and provide understanding of this topic.
What is Ramadhan?
Christmas is very important in Christianity, and so is Ramadhan for the Muslim community. We often hear that Muslims perform this act of worship in its specific month, but what is it really? Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, when Muslims are obliged to fast during the whole month, from sunrise until sunset. The term «Ramadhan» comes from «Al-Ramd,» which means «burning heat of the sun.» This name was given to the fast month due to the thirst experienced during fasting, and it is believed to burn away sins.[1] At this time, Muslims are forbidden to eat, drink and do bad deeds, so as to enjoy more of what the essence of the month gives.
Significance of the Month of Ramadhan
The month of Ramadhan holds many mysteries and wonders. It is said from the traditions, and by high clerics of Islam, that during this month, the scripture of Ibrahim, the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Injil of Jesus and the Quran have all been revealed in this holy month.[2]
Another significance it holds is the act of fasting by the prophets before Muhammad—according to Islam, Moses fasted for forty days[3] and Jesus also fasted with his disciples for forty days. So, by identifying the traces of fasting and its significance, we may see through history and traditions that this holy month is not only significant for Islam; It holds wonder for and connection to other religions as well.
Benefits of the Month of Ramadhan
In Islam, all kinds of worship have benefit for those carrying it out. What are the benefits of the holy month of Ramadhan in this regard? There are many—and they can be personal, social or spiritual. Personal ones can be religious, and most Muslims are religiously motivated to take this month in the pure context of religious obligation and worship, while some personally celebrate it for health reasons. According to the September 1996 issue of Life magazine, «fasting is the healing revolution»—we have to admit that we cannot perform acts of worship if we are not healthy, and while some people are religiously driven they are also conscious of their health. Thus, these two are both personal reasons Muslim have for fasting in the month of Ramadhan.
Another benefit is Spiritual. While some fast for religion and health, there are also those who fast for spiritual healing. According to Quran chapter 2 verse 183, «Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who were before you so that you may observe self-restraint.» This verse emphasizes spiritual discipline, specifically in the last word in the verse—Self-Restraint, One benefit of Ramadhan is that it not only heals the body through fasting but also the soul, through restraining one’s own ego in order to avoid such bad deeds as slandering, backbiting, gossiping and talking behind someone’s back. Just as it is hard for someone to restrain from drinking and eating, so also is it hard for the soul to refrain from doing such bad deeds, and so Ramadhan is the best time to start practicing restraint and discipline.
Another benefit of this month concerns class concepts humans have formed—rich, average and poor. But in this month, all Muslims can feel what it is like to be poor by not eating during the day, so that they may become accustomed to giving. According to Imam Sadiq, «Verily, Allah made fasting obligatory in order to equalize between the poor and the rich.»[4]
One thing I always look forward to in this month is that this is the month of giving, sharing meals with your neighbor and performing acts of charity in the days before the end of Ramadhan. Ever since I was a child, I have thought that Ramadhan may have been designed to highlight the condition of what it is like to be poor, but still able to give something.
Unique Characteristic of Ramadhan
There are many things that reveal the uniqueness of Ramadhan, above all the acts of worship in Islam. One is that it is the longest act of worship, starting at sunrise and lasting until sunset, not like the usual act of prayer that may take up to several minutes, or zakat or charity, where giving, regardless of how many hours it takes is still short in its fulfillment time, while fasting has its set length of time and may sometimes take up to 15 hours or more.
Another unique characteristic is that while you perform this act of worship you do not have to excuse yourself in performing your usual work, unlike prayer or going on a pilgrimage, where you need to be absent from your current work for a while to be able to perform the act of worship. Fasting in Ramadhan will not interrupt your daily work. Another uniqueness of this worship is that it also lets you worship God without doing anything but restraining yourself from consuming any food or doing bad deeds. Another characteristic is that this is one of the sincerest acts of worship, because its fulfillment is only known by you and God. Although it is not easy to do self-restraining, once fulfilled it will be the sincerest thing that a believer has ever done.
Reward of Fasting
One highlight of fasting in this month of Ramadhan is the reward of patience and prayers, as written in Quran chapter 2 verse 45: «And seek help in patience and prayer.» Ramadhan teaches you to be very patient and pray for whatever may happen in your life. If you start to have discipline within this month with all its restraining and burning of ego then this might be the greatest reward that this month may have given you, and if you continue to inhibit this restraint in the later days of your life, then it may be the greatest reward a believer could ever receive. Another reward is connected to God himself: being patient and having faith is a sign of divinity, thus it is Godly. Many Islamic clerics and Ulamas have pointed out that once you have inhibited the evil traits within you, it is a God-given gift, and what could be more amazing than inheriting and having God in your life.
Etiquettes of Fasting
There are many etiquettes or actions of performing fasting. One is that when fasting, one is obliged to avoid haram (evil) deeds. Not only is it prohibited to eat and drink, it is also prohibited to commit verbal or physical sins, gossiping, swearing, lying and backbiting. This means that just as we restrain our body from taking in food, so is our soul free from un-healthy acts. Another thing is that because the month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Quran and other scriptures were revealed, this very month is the month of Quran, and all Muslims around the world are reading and reciting this holy scripture, and the reasons for this are reflection and realization.
Another etiquette is that this month is the month of many night prayers, and usually Muslims around the world take the night to perform prayers and reflect. In this month of Ramadhan, Muslims are obliged to carry out acts of charity, In the days before the end of Ramadhan or Eidul-Fitr, the feast after Ramadhan month, as we call it, this charity is given either to the poor or to anyone who experiences hardship.
According to the narration of Imam Sadiq (as) as stated in Al-Kafi: «The first thing that the messenger of Allah was breaking his fast with was a ripe date, if it was its season and dried date in other seasons»[5] and according to general tradition, prophet Muhammad would break his fast with dates and milk. There is also a tradition (Al-Kafi) of the household of the prophet that they used to break their fast with water, to cleanse the stomach and liver and relieve headaches.[6] The month of Ramadhan is very important to Muslims as it not only cleanses the body, but also cleanses the soul.[7]
This article was taken from the publication: Quaderni del CSA, Volume 16, n. 1/2021
[1] Al-Raghib Al-Isfahan, Al-mufradat cited by Mansour Leghaei in <www.Islam.org>: «Fasting and the Holy Month of Ramadhan.»
[2] Ibid.
[3] Dt. 9:9 as cited by Mansour Lehgaei <www.Islam.org>: «Fasting- A body, Mind and Soul Healing.»
[4] As-saduq, Al-Faqih vol. 2, p. 43 cited by Mansour Leghaei <www.Islam.org>: «Fasting and the Holy Month of Ramadhan.»
[5] Al-khulayni, Al-Kafi vol. 4, p. 153 cited by Mansour Leghaei in <www.Islam.org>: «Fasting and the holy month of Ramadhan.»
[6] Al-khulayni, Al-Kafi vol. 4, p. 152 cited by Mansour Leghaei in <www.Islam.org>: «Fasting and the holy month of Ramadhan.»
[7] Isnihayah T. Binumbaran (ma in Islamic Philosophy major in Philosophy of Politics in stfi Mulla Sadra Indonesia) is a researcher and local coordinator at Government-Watch Philippines.
