“Ramadan: Slowly Fasting” An Inside Look at the Holiest Month in Islam
by Rakibul Islam
“Eid Mubarak!” was heard across the Islamic world on Thursday, November 3, 2005 (1 Shawwal 1426 AH), as Muslims celebrated the end of the month of Ramadan with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr (pronounced “eed-ul-pheetr”). Others watched and nodded in agreement, but did they really understand the meaning of the month? Ask many non-Muslims, and they can’t tell you much about Ramadan beyond that it involves fasting. Some don’t even know that much, and are completely in the dark when it comes to the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. In this article I aim to explain what Ramadan is and what it involves. Additionally, I will give you a look into my personal experience with Ramadan, which is in some respects more difficult than that of a student in an Islamic country.
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar year and is 355 days long. The month lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on the phases of the moon. Specifically, the sighting of the new moon, or the lack thereof, signifies the passage of the month. There have been disputes over this in the past, and frequently one will see different areas of the world mark the changing of the months on different days. Since Eid-ul-Fitr is at the beginning of the month, this leads to places celebrating Eid on two different days. However, advancements in technology have essentially eliminated this problem, and everyone celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on November third of 2005. As for each individual day, Muslims are required to fast from the early morning to sunset. The official fasting period begins at the time of the morning prayer (Fajr), and ends at sunset, the time of the evening prayer (Maghrib). Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink anything during this time. A Muslim will usually get up in the early morning before Fajr to have a bite to eat before beginning the fast; this “early breakfast” is called Seheri. At sunset, Muslims will prepare some food to break their fast; this “meal” of sorts is called Iftar. But between Seheri and Iftar, there’s no food, no drink, nothing. Since the lunar month is shorter than a calendar month the fasting period changes changes from winter to summer and back. During the winter, a person may not have to fast for more than 10 hours per day. However, in the summer, with sunrise so early and sunset so late, fasting can stretch over 17 hours. The duration of fasting combined with the excessive heat of summer can make observing Ramadan most difficult.
Now, some would think fasting is all there is to Ramadan. But a true Muslim would tell you that Ramadan requires more than just giving up food. In essence, one has to become a better Muslim for these 29 or 30 days. We have to refrain from talking negatively about anyone. We should try to not engage in relationships with people of the opposite sex in order to focus on God. We have to devote more time to prayer, including special prayers at night and important days. One of these is Lailatul Qadr (leilatool kader), which occurs during the last 10 nights of Ramadan. It is believed that on this day, the first verses of the Qu’ran, the holy book of Islam, were sent from the heavens to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). We actually don’t know what day it is, since we were never told by either our god Allah or our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), but we know it is one of the odd-numbered nights in the last 10 nights of the month. Because of what occurred on this night, all prayers are held in extremely high regard, and are valued much more than a regular prayer. Good acts are valued more, and sins are more harmful in the afterlife. Basically, fasting is a main part of Ramadan because it is a very significant way to show our dedication to God, but it is just as much about being a better person. For one month, a Muslim has to go above and beyond what he or she normally is. It is a time to focus on being more holy.
The experience of Ramadan is truly a unique experience that goes beyond simply talking about fasting and prayer. Fortunately, I am here to fill you in. As a Muslim in the United States, I can say that it is much more difficult to fast for a month here than it is in Islamic countries. In most of those countries, the work schedule is toned down during Ramadan, since the business owners are usually Muslim themselves. School is shortened as well, and both require less work and effort in general. Because of this, people can rest more and not use as much energy, making fasting easier. Unfortunately, people in non-Muslim countries, like me in the United States, don’t get this break. We have to go the entire day without food or drink but we still have to work at our normal levels. I’ve fasted since I was 16; I can’t say it’s been easy. Participation in gym and other physical activities while not being able to replenish myself afterwards is especially difficult. Many people are curious about why I’m fasting. Some even try to tempt me with food. I know they don’t mean any harm, so I just treat it as good fun. I’ve been able to complete Ramadan for the past 4 years and while it won’t get any easier as the days get longer, I’m sure I’ll be able to keep fasting every year. I’ll see whether this is true in a few years, when Ramadan is in the summer and the fasting period is 17 hours long due to the long summer days. But rest assured I will be going without food and trying to be the best Muslim I can be.
