RAMADAN MUBARAK TO ALL AT IF

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vinnie

@vinnie-thepooh

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Posted: 18 years ago

Ramadan at TheHolidaySpot

Assalamualaikum

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. Lasting for the entire month, Muslims fast during the daylight hours and in the evening eat small meals and visit with friends and family. It is a time of worship and contemplation. A time to strengthen family and community ties.
We've got stories of Ramadan, and Muhammad the Prophet. So bring your kids and tell your friends. And please stop by again. Don't forget to sign our Guestbook before you leave.
According to the Islamic Society of North America the first day of fasting for Ramadan 2006 is expected to be September 23rd. (depending on where you live)

Edited by vinnie-thepooh - 18 years ago

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vinnie

@vinnie-thepooh

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

The Fast of Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The Month of Ramadan is also when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation" It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning According to the Holy Quran:
One may eat and drink at any time during the night "until you can plainly distinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daylight: then keep the fast until night"

The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things -
the telling of a lie slander denouncing someone behind his back a false oath
greed or covetousness

These are considered offensive at all times, but are most offensive during the Fast of Ramadan During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran. In addition to the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer
On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. And according to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the world for the following year
When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray in congregation and for large meals. In some cities fairs are held to celebrate the end of the Fast of Ramadan.

Edited by vinnie-thepooh - 18 years ago

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vinnie

@vinnie-thepooh

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

Wishing All A Happy Ramadan

Wishing_You_A_Blessed_Ramadan_!

Edited by vinnie-thepooh - 18 years ago

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manjujain

@manjujain

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

To All IF Members

As the Crescent Moon is Sighted
and the Holy Month of
Ramadan Begins

May the blessings of Allah

Shower on You!!!

Ramadan Mubarak ho!!!

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Rani

@bollywood_queen

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

Ramzaan Mubarak to everyone!!! 😃

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manjujain

@manjujain

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr

The month of fasting

by Holly Hartman

For more than a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of prayer, fasting, and charity.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar—that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays "move" each year. In 2006 Ramadan will begin on Sept. 24.

For more than a billion Muslims around the world—including some 8 million in North America—Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. This year Ramadan precedes Christmas and Hanukkah. But while in many places these holidays have become widely commercialized, Ramadan retains its focus on self-sacrifice and devotion to Allah (God).

Why this Month?

Muslims believe that during the month of Ramadan, Allah revealed the first verses of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. Around 610 A.D., a caravan trader named Muhammad took to wandering the desert near Mecca (in today's Saudi Arabia) while thinking about his faith. One night a voice called to him from the night sky. It was the angel Gabriel, who told Muhammad he had been chosen to receive the word of Allah. In the days that followed, Muhammad found himself speaking the verses that would be transcribed as the Qur'an.

At many mosques during Ramadan, about one thirtieth of the Qur'an is recited each night in prayers known as tarawih. In this way, by the end of the month the complete scripture will have been recited.

Fasting

Muslims practice sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun shines. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars (duties) of Islam. As with other Islamic duties, all able Muslims take part in sawm from about age twelve.

During Ramadan in the Muslim world, most restaurants are closed during the daylight hours. Families get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. Iftar usually begins with dates and sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost.

Fasting serves many purposes. While they are hungry and thirsty, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind. And in this most sacred month, fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.

Eid al-Fitr

Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which in 2006 occurs on Oct. 24. Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family.

A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques.

Edited by manjujain - 18 years ago

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vinnie

@vinnie-thepooh

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Posted: 18 years ago

Originally posted by: Awww
Thanks Vinnie for the electronic card

🤗🤗

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srgmp

@srgmp

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Posted: 18 years ago

Ramadan Mubarak To Everyone! 😊

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Kanta80

@Kanta80

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Posted: 18 years ago

Thanks Vinnie for starting this thread. Wishing Happy and Blessed Ramadan to everone.

May_Allahs_Blessings_Be_With_You...

Edited by Kanta80 - 18 years ago

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Kanta80

@Kanta80

Inactive

Posted: 18 years ago

#10

I	Introduction

Ramadan, ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, the holy month of fasting for adult Muslims. According to the Qur'an (Koran), the sacred scripture of Islam, God requires believers to fast during Ramadan so that they "may cultivate piety." Fasting is also intended to promote self-discipline and spiritual awareness, while helping believers overcome faults such as selfishness and greed. The month of Ramadan is particularly sacred to Muslims because the Qur'an was first revealed to Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, during this month.

II	Start of Ramadan

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In the pre-Islamic Arabic calendar, the month of Ramadan fell during the heat of summer. The word Ramadan means "scorcher" in Arabic. The early Arabic calendar, like the current Islamic calendar, was lunar. Because a lunar month has only 29 or 30 days, a year of 12 lunar months falls short of the 365 days in a solar calendar. In the pre-Islamic calendar, the lunar months kept their place in the seasons by the insertion of an extra month every two or three years. The Islamic calendar abolished this practice and fixed the Islamic year at 12 months totaling 354 days. As a result Ramadan occurs about 11 days earlier each year, and it rotates through the seasons in a cycle totaling about 33 years. In the year 2000 Ramadan began on November 27.

The appearance of the new crescent moon signals the beginning of Ramadan. The end of Ramadan is signaled by the sighting of the new moon of the next month, Shawwal. The new moon must be seen and reported by at least two trustworthy witnesses. Because of this requirement, neither the beginning nor the end of Ramadan can be determined in advance. Depending on the visibility of the moon, Ramadan can begin on a different date in different parts of the world.

III

Fasting

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Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, the essential religious duties of all adult Muslims. These pillars are described in the Qur'an. Fasting, according to the Qur'an, begins each morning when "the white thread can be distinguished from the black thread of dawn." It continues until sunset. Fasting consists of abstinence not only from food and drink, but also from smoking and sexual relations. In addition, Muslims take special care to refrain from negative actions such as gossiping and fighting during this period.

A	Who Is Required to Fast

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All Muslims who have reached puberty and who are mentally and physically able to sustain fasting are obliged to fast during Ramadan. People who are sick or traveling, and pregnant or nursing women, are exempt from fasting, but they must later make up any missed days upon recovery or return, or after weaning. Women who are menstruating or bleeding after childbirth are not allowed to fast, but they too must make up missed days. The elderly and incurably sick need not fast, but they are expected to feed one poor person for every day of fasting they miss.

B	The Significance of Fasting

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Ramadan is a month of worship, and fasting is a means of fostering piety. Muslims celebrate the glory of Allah (God) during Ramadan and thank Him for revealing the Qur'an, which they consider a guide for humanity. Muslim thinkers emphasize the religious significance of fasting and its implications for self-purification and spiritual growth, rather than the outward observance of the many rules regarding the fast. Muhammad reportedly said, "He who does not abandon falsehood in word and action in accordance with fasting, God has no need that he should abandon his food and drink."

IV	Before and After Fasting

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Islamic practice, based on sayings of Muhammad, recommends that Muslims have a meal, called sahur, shortly before dawn during Ramadan. After sunset they should hasten the breaking of the fast with another meal, iftar. Iftar should be a light meal, taken before proceeding to sunset prayers. Providing iftar to others, especially to the poor, is considered highly meritorious. Many Muslims have iftar in the neighborhood mosque and invite friends, relatives, and neighbors to join them.

Prayer

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Ramadan is a month marked by worship and charity. Many Muslims say nightly prayers known as taraweeh throughout Ramadan. Some perform these prayers communally in a mosque after the evening prayers, while others pray individually or in groups at home or in other locations. Over the course of the month, the entire Qur'an is recited as part of the taraweeh prayers.

I'tikaf

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Muslims consider prayer and reciting of the Qur'an especially important during the last ten days of Ramadan. During this time many Muslims retreat to the mosque to pray in seclusion and draw closer to God, according to the practice of Muhammad. Some believers remain there day and night. The practice of seclusion in a mosque is known as i'tikaf.

B	Laylat al-Qadr

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A special night of prayer called Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power, or Decree) occurs on the anniversary of the night when the first revelation of the Qur'an took place. There is no agreement about the exact date of this event, though it generally falls on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Sunnis often observe Laylat al-Qadr on the 27th night of the month. The Qur'an describes the Laylat al-Qadr as "better than a thousand months," the night in which "angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, and it is peace till the rising of dawn." Pious Muslims spend the better part of this night praying and reciting the Qur'an.

VI	End of Ramadan

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A festival called Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Fast-Breaking) marks the end of Ramadan. It begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar, and generally lasts for three days. Muslims take part in communal prayers, either in a mosque or an open space outside the city, and everyone must offer charity to the poor. The celebration has an important social dimension as well. Cities and villages take on a festive look, and people put on new clothes. Friends, relatives, and neighbors meet in mosques and on streets, or visit one another, exchanging congratulations and embracing each other.

Source: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559768_1/Ramadan.html

Edited by Kanta80 - 18 years ago