The Indian Panorama

Tag: Ramadan

  • Ramadan: The sacred month of fasting, reflection and spiritual growth

    Ramadan: The sacred month of fasting, reflection and spiritual growth

    Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is one of the most sacred months for Muslims worldwide. It is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community, commemorating the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muslims observe fasting (sawm) from dawn to sunset, refraining from food, drink, smoking, and marital relations during daylight hours. Beyond fasting, Ramadan is a period of spiritual growth, increased devotion, and acts of charity. This article explores the significance, practices, history, and impact of Ramadan on individuals and communities worldwide.
    The Significance of Ramadan
    Ramadan holds immense religious and spiritual significance for Muslims. The Quran states:
    “The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it…” (Quran 2:185)
    The month is seen as an opportunity for believers to purify their souls, strengthen their faith, and grow closer to Allah. It is a time of self-restraint, patience, and devotion, helping individuals develop discipline and empathy for those less fortunate.

    Fasting in Ramadan (Sawm)
    Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it obligatory for all adult Muslims, with exceptions for children, the elderly, pregnant or menstruating women, travelers, and those who are ill. The daily fast begins at Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and ends at Iftar (meal at sunset).
    Rules of Fasting
    During the fasting hours, Muslims must abstain from:
    – Food and drink (including water)
    – Smoking
    – Sexual relations
    – Negative behaviors such as gossiping, lying, or arguing
    Breaking the fast intentionally without a valid reason requires expiation (kaffarah), which may involve fasting for an extended period or feeding the poor.
    Benefits of Fasting
    Beyond religious obligations, fasting offers numerous physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits:
    – Physical health: Promotes detoxification, weight management, and improved metabolism by regulating eating habits and allowing the body to repair itself.
    – Mental well-being: Enhances self-discipline, patience, and emotional resilience by fostering mindfulness and self-control.
    – Spiritual growth: Encourages gratitude, introspection, and a stronger connection with Allah through prayer and self-discipline.
    Ramadan Practices and Traditions
    Prayer and Worship
    – Taraweeh Prayers: Special nightly prayers performed in congregation at mosques, in which long portions of the Quran are recited. Some aim to complete the entire Quran during these prayers.
    – Quran Recitation: Many Muslims aim to complete the recitation of the Quran at least once during the month. Special study circles (halaqas) are formed for in-depth reflection and understanding.
    – Increased Supplication (Dua): Devotees engage in extra prayers, seeking forgiveness, divine guidance, and blessings.
    – I’tikaf (Seclusion in the Mosque): In the last ten days of Ramadan, some Muslims practice I’tikaf, a spiritual retreat in the mosque to dedicate themselves to prayer and worship without worldly distractions.
    Charity and Generosity
    – Zakat (Obligatory Charity): Many Muslims choose Ramadan to fulfill their annual zakat (2.5% of their wealth) to help those in need.
    – Sadaqah (Voluntary Charity): Encouraged acts of kindness, such as feeding the poor, providing necessities to struggling families, and funding community projects.
    – Iftar Gatherings: Sharing meals with family, friends, and the less fortunate strengthens communal bonds. Many mosques and organizations offer free iftar meals to ensure that everyone, regardless of financial status, can break their fast comfortably.
    – Fidyah and Kaffarah: Those unable to fast due to chronic illness or other valid reasons can compensate by feeding the poor (Fidyah). Those who break their fast without a valid reason must perform Kaffarah, which may involve fasting for 60 consecutive days or feeding 60 needy individuals.
    Laylat al-Qadr (The Night of Decree)
    One of the most significant nights in Ramadan is Laylat al-Qadr, believed to be the night when the Quran was first revealed. It falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan and is described in the Quran as:
    “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (Quran 97:3)
    Muslims spend this night in worship, seeking blessings, forgiveness, and divine mercy. It is a night of intense prayer, recitation of the Quran, and making heartfelt supplications. Many believe that their prayers on this night hold immense power and that seeking forgiveness can erase past sins.
    The End of Ramadan: Eid al-Fitr
    Ramadan concludes with Eid al-Fitr, a joyous festival marking the completion of fasting. The day begins with a special prayer at the mosque, followed by feasting, charity, and social gatherings. Key aspects include:
    – Eid Prayers: A large congregational prayer held in mosques and open areas, often followed by sermons and communal supplications.
    – Zakat al-Fitr: A mandatory charity given before Eid prayer to help the needy afford festive meals and clothing.
    – Festivities: Celebrations with family, friends, and community members, often involving traditional foods, gift-giving, and wearing new or special attire.
    – Visiting Loved Ones: Many Muslims visit relatives and friends to exchange greetings, gifts, and meals, strengthening familial bonds.
    Ramadan Around the World
    Ramadan is observed by over 1.9 billion Muslims across diverse cultures, each bringing unique traditions:
    – Middle East: Traditional dishes such as dates, lentil soup, and kebabs are popular for iftar, along with refreshing drinks like Jallab and Qamar al-Din.
    – South Asia: Rich foods like samosas, pakoras, biryani, and sweet treats like jalebi are common during suhoor and iftar.
    – Africa: Special drinks like tamarind juice and baobab fruit beverages accompany meals, along with regional delicacies such as porridge and grilled meats.
    – Western Countries: Muslim communities organize interfaith iftars, fostering understanding and unity. Special Ramadan bazaars, online Quran classes, and communal events help maintain traditions.
    Challenges and Adaptations
    Observing Ramadan can be challenging, particularly in non-Muslim-majority countries or regions with extreme daylight variations. Muslims adapt through:
    – Flexible Work and School Schedules: Some workplaces and schools accommodate fasting employees and students by adjusting work hours or allowing breaks for prayers and iftar.
    – Fasting in Extreme Climates: In places with long daylight hours (e.g., Norway, Sweden), scholars permit following the fasting duration of Mecca or nearby Muslim-majority countries.
    – Virtual Connectivity: Online resources, such as live-streamed prayers and digital Quran study groups, help Muslims stay spiritually engaged regardless of location.
    The Spiritual Impact of Ramadan
    Beyond its rituals, Ramadan transforms lives by instilling:
    – Self-discipline: Strengthening control over desires and habits, fostering resilience in daily life.
    n Empathy and Compassion: Encouraging an appreciation for the struggles of the underprivileged and motivating acts of generosity.
    – Faith and Devotion: Enhancing spiritual connection through worship, increased Quranic engagement, and sincere supplication.

  • Ramadan, everything you always wanted to know

    Ramadan, everything you always wanted to know

                 Mike Ghouse

    Ramadan is pronounced Ramzan in the Subcontinent, Iran, Turkey, and the Central Asian Republics wherever the Persian linguistic influence exists, elsewhere in the world, it is Ramadan. In the Arabic language, “Z” is “D” in most words. This article has three sections: The Spirit, Politics, and Rituals of Ramadan.

     

     The spirit of Ramadan

    One’s birth to the last rites of life, every moment in between, is laden with rituals, even though some of us may deny it. Indeed, whether we go to the gym, eat, sleep, wear clothes, drive, or talk on the phone, we follow  rituals. 

    Rituals signify the milestones of our daily life. Every significant moment of the day is a ritual. It is an unwritten way of measuring our progression, a memory

    pattern to bring discipline to our actions. Training is necessary to do things on time, manage personal relationships, drive to a destination, or keep within budget. The result of disciplined behavior is worthwhile for most people. When joyous, whether we are theists or not, we have to express that sentiment. Otherwise, a sense of incompleteness lingers in our hearts. 

    Every faith is composed of a set of unique rituals to bring discipline and peace to human life. Fasting is one of the five essential rituals that Muslims around the world observe.

    Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and observing with a ritual precision; it is annual training or a refresher. It requires one to abstain from food, drink, intimacy, ill-will, ill-talk, harmful actions, and other temptations from dawn to dusk, every day for a full month. 

    One has to rise above his or her baser desires. Islam gifts this month to

    its followers to teach discipline to bring moderation to their daily lives.

    Although Ramadan is popularly known in the west for its culinary delicacies and fancy iftars (ceremonial breaking of fast at sundown), the spirit and intent of Ramadan lie in a human transformation in a month-long inner spiritual journey of finding oneself in tune with spirituality.

    God does not need the hunger or thirst of someone who hurts others, violates their dignity or usurps their rights said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The fasting of the stomach must be matched by the dieting of the limbs. The eyes, ears, tongue, hands, and feet all have their fasts to undergo. The tongue’s temptations, for example — lies, backbiting, slander, vulgarity and senseless argumentation — must be challenged and curbed to maintain the integrity of the fast.

    The consciousness of behavior and vigilance over action are the most profound dimensions of fasting: the fasting of the heart focuses on the attachment to the divine. That is when Ramadan becomes a source of peace and solace, just as Christmas goes beyond the rituals to bring forth kindness, charity, and caring.

    True fasting is self-purification; from this comes an abundant inner life that brings about values such as justice, generosity, patience, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy — values that are indispensable for the success of the community.

    Ramadan will come and go with such stealth that we cannot but be reminded of our mortality. What is it that we value, and why? Habits, customs, even obsessive behavior like smoking can be curtailed with relative ease in the face of a higher calling.

    Politics of Ramadan

    Politics plays a crucial role in our Temples, Synagogues and Churches, Mosques are no different. For the moon sighting, a few scientifically-inclined-Muslims have adopted NASA’s calculations believed to be precise. However, four different traditions are operating concurrently; i) Strictly Calendar, ii) NASA and iii Sighting with bare eyes, and iv) sighting by others in the community.

    Muslims around the world will begin fasting from Thursday, April 23, 2020, and for a whole month after that, however, for some of them, it will start (only) if the moon is sighted.  

     The traditions of Ramadan

     It’s a celebration time when Muslims around the world anxiously wait for the first moon of the ninth Lunar month to appear in the sky. The families gather in their backyards, or get on the nearest hillock or climb on top of their homes, and wait for the pencil-thin moon to appear on the horizon, and when it does, Ramadan begins. 

    Right after the moon is sighted, the announcement goes that Ramadan has started.  

    The first evening, mosques hold “Taraweeh” prayers – in for the next 29 to 30 days, they recite a chapter each day for the full month. Due to Corona, this year, every mosque around the world has canceled the congregational prayers and asked to pray at home.  

    As the Christians do the count down from the first day of Christmas or Hindus express devotion for each one of the nine days through Navaratri or the Jews follow eight days of Chanukah, Jains observe eight days of Paryushan. Others follow a similar path, and the Muslims count the next 29 to 30 days with a sense of duty.

    Every day, with small variations in practices, families rise early around 4:00 AM and gather up in the kitchen to participate in preparing and cooking. Then the family sits around, says a short blessing, and eats the meal. Everyone has to finish off the food and water intake five minutes before sunrise or the morning call for prayers known as Azan or Adan. 

    Then everyone used to go to the mosque to pray, but this year, everyone will pray at their homes.  

     Throughout the day, a conscious effort is made to abstain from food, water, or temptations that are detrimental to self-discipline. Those who do not observe fasting, honor the ones who do, by not eating or drinking in their presence.

     One of the most appealing aspects of Ramadan is the domino effect other Muslims have on you to guard yourselves against greed, anger, ill-will, malice, hate, jealousy, and other ills of the society. One feels pious during the month. Of course, there would always a small percentage in a group who do not receive that wisdom.

      When the time to break the fast approaches towards the sundown, anxiety builds up, it is almost like the countdown of seconds when the space shuttle takes off—Muslims attempt to be in the congregation or team up with some. A prayer call (Azan) signifies the time to break the fast. 

     Prophet Muhammad had initiated a healthy way of breaking the fast; it was graduating the empty stomach with snacks like dates, fruits, and veggies to prepare the digestive system for a full meal after the prayer break. The dates are the most popular item around the world, they are chewy, meaty, and tasty after a long day of fasting, and dates are also a preferred item as it was for the Prophet. It has the right nutrients to give one a smooth transition from fasting all day to eating a full meal. 

     The breaking of fast, also known as “Iftar,” has become a community event. It is an excellent opportunity for friends of Muslims belonging to other faiths to host the Iftars. It is a way to bond, connect, and build cohesive societies. Unfortunately, this year, no one is holding the iftar parties. 

     President Clinton started the tradition of holding an Iftar party carried forward by President Bush and then-President Obama, and they invited a few Muslim leaders from around the United States. Trump held the iftars for the Muslim Ambassadors. It is a major social event for the politicians, just as it is with Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and other festivities.

     At the end of the 29th or 30th day, depending on the moon sighting, NASA, or other traditions, the fasting would come to an end with the celebration. It is Chandni Raat or the moonlit festivities. Usually, the evening is spent on last-minute shopping.

    The next day is Eid or festivity. It is a significant event, and Muslims gather in large spaces and perform their thanksgiving prayer. The traditional greetings are “Eid Mubarak, Ramadan Mubarak, or Happy Ramadan.”

     On this day, one formally forgives and gets forgiven and starts the year with goodwill. Every one hugs three times; I am your friend; you are my friend, and together we are friends, and together we forgive each other. It is the equivalent of Michami Dukadam in Jainism. 

     Traditionally everyone in the family wears new clothing, a symbol of starting over with a clean slate. The oldest one in the family passes on gifts and cash gifts (called Eidi) to younger members of the family to spend as they wish and to teach responsibility with freedom.

     It is also a time to share one’s wealth with the needy; it is like the tithe and is called Zakat. Every family takes out 2.5% of the value of their assets and passes on to the needy. It is an investment in human capital, to help uplift everyone on a level playing field to maintain a sustainable good in society.

     On the culinary side, it is a feast! A variety of dishes are prepared, over the years I have discovered that the most common item around the globe is a dessert made out of vermicelli’s, i.e., thin hair noodles cooked in Milk with nuts, dates, honey, and other goodies, it is both in liquid and solid formats. Of course, the Biryani is the main meal. It is a feast! 

    For fasting to be truly universal, its benefits must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims and must continue to forging a common humanity with others. Fasting is meant to impart a sense of what it means to be truly human, and its universality is reflected by its observance in Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, Zoroastrian and other faiths.

    (The author is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, consultant, pluralist, activist, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. www.TheGhousediary.com )