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Today, Monday, starts the holy Muslim month Ramadan. It is a month of obligatory fasting with purpose of purifying one's soul and possessions. Muslims ought to spend these 30 days in doing goods deeds defined by our Prophet Muhammed (Peace be Upon Him, as well as with prophets Jesus, Moses and many others) more devotedly than they used to do. This is a blessed month for us and for everybody, and we should all use it to make ourselves better people.
I pray to God that He makes us firm in our faith, on the Right Path, and save as a home in Heaven. I pray that all people become peaceful and amiable with each other, be it Muslims or non-Muslims. I pray for a safer and more righteous world, as well as for dismissal of materialism and dazzledness by earthly goods.
May the Merciful God bring His blessing to our Prophet, his family, his companions and all of those who are on the Right Path.
To all TFD friends, I wish the best. The way of moderation is the best way! Peace.
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I was in Egypt a few years back during Ramadan, which was an interesting experience for an American. I have to say the season has a really cool, pleasant vibe. People are out on the streets, they set up tables and bring out food at sundown. Everyone shares. There's a great sense of community. In some places there are lectures and various events. For me it was a wholly positive experience if--not being a Muslim--it wasn't actually a holy experience.
Personally, I've never been much for abstaining from things for theological reasons, so the sunrise to sundown thing doesn't really work for me. But the good sense of the occasion, the way it manifests among the people participate, is definitely a good thing.
These days the Christmas season in the U.S. has been so subverted into a vulgar shopping extravaganza that I can't help but think that Muslims have got it right on this one, and Western cultures (particularly America) have lost it.
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So now we can expect the extravagant-for-eleven-months sheiks to start delivering aid for the draught-stricken refugees in the Horn of Africa.
Brain-washing starts in the cradle. - Arthur Koestler
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About as much as you can expect the TV-evangelists in the U.S. to sell all they have and give to the poor.
Question authority, before it questions you. How do you know, that you know, what you know?
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Yes, the holy month of Ramadan has set in. In Pakistan it started with a brawl on sighting of the moon. It is not new here. Every year people in one of the provinces declare on oath that they have sighted the moon. But the other provinces disagree, and so the differences start on the very first day of this holy month. Then the whole month which is the month of fasting is spent mostly in Epicurean way - ‘eating, drinking and merrymaking’. People do throng the mosques to say prayers. But they don’t know what fasting and prayers mean and why God ordained us to keep fast and say prayers five times a day. Before sunset, the time to break the fast, everybody rushes to his home violating traffic rules and hitting other people. They forget that the crux of fasting is patience. The commodities of daily use are hoarded in order to sell on higher prices. One who is not able to keep fast due to illness or due to some other solid reason is looked upon with disdain. They are not allowed to eat anything in restaurants or other open places because eating before the person who is keeping fast is considered sheer disrespect to his faith. It is as if he is keeping fast not to seek the blessing of God but to oblige other people around him. Corruption, black-marketing, backbiting, clock-watching and witch-hunting – every evil continues as if it has nothing to do with the soul and spirit of Ramadan. So I , agreeing with Jezikoslovac , pray as he does : ‘May the Merciful God bring His blessing to our Prophet, his family, his companions and all of those who are on the Right Path.’
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aren't the Muslims starving themselves during this occasion. I have a friend who's a Muslim and they're eating only like once a day or twice. Is this true?
You can do anything, but not everything. —David Allen
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Starving might not be the correct word, but yes the muslims do keep a very difficult fast during ramadan. They don't even drink water from sunrise to sunset and they are supposed to carry out all their usual daily chores without any excuses like going to office, house work etc. But after sunset a muslim friend's home is the place to be, the food is simply delicious. Though I know that ramadan, as mansoor indicates, is a month to observe simplicity and moderation as it is also the time for self analysis, but in a way it is also like a celebration and time to socialize.
Ramadan is a very important event in all countries with substantial muslim population including India, so much so, that if I remember correctly a skirmish between India and Pakistan army was stopped and ceasefire ordered for the month of ramadan,but I don't remenber when. In India it is called the month of Ramazan.
Am sorry to hear about your place Mansoor, hoarding doesn't happen in India as majority is Hindu and so it won't really serve any purpose.
The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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For those who might not be knowing, from drinking Mansoor does not mean alcohol (I think it is banned in Pakistan but not sure), just sherbet. Most muslims wont even smoke from sunrise to sunset, alcohol for the entire month is out of question for most.
The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Today's local newspaper says that fasting during Ramadan is a very good practice since it helps the stomach to rest and its enzymes to refresh. It is a good way of cleansing and helps to get the metabolism on the right track.
I have heard the purpose of beginning of Ramadan was to save food grains and to share them with poor. The old practice to give away alms to poor still exists and is followed by pious Muslims.
Best part is the festival of Eid-ul-fitr which comes at the end of the month.
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Rusty wrote:
Ramadan is a very important event in all countries with substantial muslim population including India, so much so, that if I remember correctly a skirmish between India and Pakistan army was stopped and ceasefire ordered for the month of ramadan,but I don't remenber when. In India it is called the month of Ramazan.
It was in 2000 when the then Prime Minister of India, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced a unilateral cease-fire in the holy month of Ramadan. The security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir were ordered to cease offensive operations during this period.
We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. ~ Swami Vivekanand
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Ramadan, is a sacred month in which the Qur'an started to be revealed to Allah's Messenger (PBUH). The Holy Quran was verbally revealed from God to Prophet (PBUH) gradually from 610 to 632(the year of his death). Sawm (the Arabic word for fasting) means "to refrain". It means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a kind of worship that has many benefits like making us notice that we are slaves, understanding the value of the bounties, educating our souls, understanding the state of the needy people in the community... It is much more than just not eating and drinking. It is not a diet. We can't do it for being healty. Perhaps it is one of the smallest benefits of sawm. _________ Two useful links: Why Ramadan, Why Fasting?What is fasting? / The Benefits of fasting
"Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunter shall always glorify the hunter."
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I wonder how the other nations call fasting? In Turkey we call sawm, "oruch". It comes from Persian word "ruza". Also we call salaah "namaz". It comes from Persian as well.
I was very surprised when I heard the word "kismet" which comes from Arabic in an English movie a few days ago. We use this word as well.
"Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunter shall always glorify the hunter."
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Istanbul - We use your word for prayer, namaz, but for sawm it is ''post'' and I think it has no Oriental origins since Christians use it.
Rusty - smoking is part of the fasting, so no smoking from sunrise to sunset. Fighting is forbidden not only during Ramadan, but during other holy months too.
GeorgeV - wealth is a great temptation. Maybe you and I would both be the same. Thank God I'm poor.
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I don't say this just to be controversial, but are we to understand that after sunset you may eat to your heart's content?
If this is the case what then is the purpose of just changing the times that you choose to eat... is that really fasting? Please explain for it seems to me you deny yourself little.
I know that devout Muslims are sincere in this, but for an outsider it is hard to understand. It almost seems more of a community thing, then self-denial for religious purposes. I can well imagine you really enjoy your evening feasts.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
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Well percy, today's sunrise/sunset times in the UK are 05.25 - 15.22 or just over fifteen hours. I would class that as denial. i don't think the purpose of the exercise is to damage your health but rather to recognise and prepare yourself for times of hardship along with the times of plenty. 'The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away' so best get used to it is the message I see. Probably a good exercise even for non-believers like me once in a while. I can see health and possible fiscal planning benefits from it.
"Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon" Suzanne Ertz
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Thanks Pedro...but I bet there is a lot of cramming in the evening to make up for it so I am not sure of the health benefits!
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
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Percy, gluttony is a sin. And next to that, the 'isha prayer, which is the last prayer of the day, comes in my country only 100 minutes after the sunset, and yet it sees the mosques full of people. You have no time to eat too much and go earlier to the mosque to find your place. I'm not saying that nobody's overeating, night after night, but it's not recommended and should be avoided.
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Fair enough ...thanks Jezikoslovac.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
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Fasting is not only a Muslim thing. Christians are supposed to fast forty days before Easter.
In Finnish fasting is called paasto, an (old) loan from neighbour Germanic people, long before Christianity came into these corners.
Indo-European root is past.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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JJ, we say ''post,'' as a noun, or ''postiti'' as a verb, -i-ti is suffix for making a verb out of a noun. It seems very close to paasto.
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Since the Ramadan can occur also in midsummer the Muslims living here can have it hard following the strict rules in fasting. Even in South Finland the night is short and luminous.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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Thank you srirr I had forgotten that.
@JJ Fasting is also a very important part of Hinduism. Infact fasting 2 - 3 days a week is very common for devout hindus. At times it can go up to 4 - 5 days during certain weeks. Lot of hindus avoid only food grains during fasts and do consume fruits etc., but many take only water.
The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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I remember visiting Egypt as a tourist during Ramadan the people were less friendly than another year we were there.
Give a man a fish you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime - Chinese proverb
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Some stunning pictures of Ramadan practices around the world in Boston.com: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/ramadan_begins.htmlan example:  A boy takes part in a prayer at Strasbourg's new Grand Mosque August 1. The mosque, which opened on Monday, held its first prayers to mark the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (Vincent Kessler/Reuters)
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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It would be a greater surprise if there was a girl standing or kneeling near him
Give a man a fish you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime - Chinese proverb
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Maybe high life has its own drawbacks! According to Dubai’s leading clerics Muslims living in Burj Khalifa's upper floors (the world’s tallest building, 828m (2,716ft) high) should fast longer during Ramadan. “Burj Khalifa is almost one km (0.6 miles) high, which means people in higher floors can still see the sun after it has set on the ground” says Ahmed Abdul Aziz al-Haddad. He said that the residents of Burj Khalifa should break their fast two minutes after those on the ground. http://www.carbonated.tv/lifestyle/burj-khalifa-ramdan-fast-lasts-longer-as-you-go-up
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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Though Pakistan shares only 10% of nonmuslim population but still Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities hold 'aftar parties' with their Muslim friends. I can imagin in a greater inter-religous culture events like 'aftar party' would have been more exiting!!
*It's wonderful to know that all languages are Greek if not understood.*
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Old news: http://www.space.com/4389-malaysia-muslim-astronaut-fast-space-ramadan-minister.htmlIt is amazing how easily man can modify some of the orders of the one above, and in other respects is so unwilling to adjust to the realities of post-revelation times.
Brain-washing starts in the cradle. - Arthur Koestler
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Jeech, can I assume that by "aftar party" you mean iftar, the evening meal to break fast?
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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Exactly JJ. And thanks for correcting me, its one of usual pronounciation mistakes here.
*It's wonderful to know that all languages are Greek if not understood.*
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Iftar is a small feast when one can eat sated after the fast. After the evening prayer people are free to eat, and this is more often a gathering of all the local people, sometimes with people of different religion. Here, Christians and Muslims. 
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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While the Lenten Fast is not bruited about so much these days, I remember those 40 days each year spent in Convent boarding schools.
No meat at all. (It used only to be on Fridays the rest of the year). One had to voluntarily abstain from ones favourite food - for schoolgirls that was usually chocolate - and on boarding school tuck that was a HUGE sacrifice. All portions were smaller. Water was the only drink - though once in a while, if the weather turned chilly we were allowed cocoa before bed.
All punishments were doubled! Because it was Lent we were expected to moderate our behaviour. And one was supposed to go to Mass every morning during the entire 40 days. Which meant getting up at 5 every morning except for Sundays when one could go to the 9 o clock service.
It was not a joyful time for us Boarders. Which explains why Easter - all that chocolate gorging - was always, truly a wonderful thing to look forward to!
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Jezikoslovac wrote:Today, Monday, starts the holy Muslim month Ramadan. It is a month of obligatory fasting with purpose of purifying one's soul and possessions. Muslims ought to spend these 30 days in doing goods deeds defined by our Prophet Muhammed (Peace be Upon Him, as well as with prophets Jesus, Moses and many others) more devotedly than they used to do. This is a blessed month for us and for everybody, and we should all use it to make ourselves better people.
I pray to God that He makes us firm in our faith, on the Right Path, and save as a home in Heaven. I pray that all people become peaceful and amiable with each other, be it Muslims or non-Muslims. I pray for a safer and more righteous world, as well as for dismissal of materialism and dazzledness by earthly goods.
May the Merciful God bring His blessing to our Prophet, his family, his companions and all of those who are on the Right Path.
To all TFD friends, I wish the best. The way of moderation is the best way! Peace.
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I work as a nurse in a close custody prison. Each time that prisoners celebrate this holiday, there is always so much confusion about whether or not they can take their medication with water before the sun goes down. Some of your brethren even say that the medication alone violates the fast if taken before sundown. Can you shed some light on this matter to clarify my own personal understanding so that I can be effective with my patients during this time?
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I don't have sufficient knowledge but I can suggest you a website that you can find out almost all questions' answers about Islam: Questions on Islam
"Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunter shall always glorify the hunter."
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