Ramadan

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is in Muslim belief the month when the Islamic book, the Qur’an was revealed. Ramadan is considered the holiest month of Islam and is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and kindness. It is about building healthy habits and strengthening faith.

The Date of Ramadan

To figure out when it is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, we study the moon and its stages. The 12 month lunar year has about 354 days. Because it is missing 10-11 days from the solar year, every lunar month moves 11 days earlier than the year before. This is why the date of Ramadan changes every year. The month traditionally starts and ends based on the new moon.

Fasting Time and Reasoning

When the new moon begins, and it is the time of fasting, Muslims begin their day with what is called “suhoor” where they wake up before sunrise to eat. From sunrise (suhoor) to sunset (Iftar), they fast for about 11-16 hours, avoiding sinful behaviour and habits throughout the day. For Muslims, Ramadan is about training themselves spiritually and physically to prevent negative activities such as gossiping, lying, or arguing. Ramadan is welcomed as a time of self-reflection and improvement as well as being social and neighborly by inviting each other for Iftar and prayer at a mosque. The main goal of fasting is to maintain a strong relationship with God. This creates discipline, self-restraint, and a moral awareness.

Fasting is a required act, meaning every Muslim who is at the right age and maturity must fast during the month of Ramadan. This does not include those who face hardship from fasting, such as someone who is too ill to fast or elders who may be too weak. Those who cannot fast due to health or age are recommended to show acts of kindness such as feeding the poor for everyday that has been missed.
Kids who have not reached maturity often start to fast for half days or on weekends starting from the age of 7. This trains them to gradually start fasting for longer hours as they get older. It is common for families or mosques to give recognition to those who fast their first full day.



Family Routines

A day of Ramadan is full of joy and happy memories for many Muslim families. A Muslim family usually rises a time before sunrise to eat a breakfast like meal together for suhoor. After their meal, they perform the morning prayer, starting their fast. Throughout the day, muslims often take naps or pray to pass time and strengthen their faith. At sunset, they break their fast with dates and water, often paired with light foods such as soup or appetizers, this is called Iftar. During this time many Muslims visit each other to have breakfasts and dinner together. Many families like to go to a mosque for nighttime prayer and a Ramadan prayer called “Taraweeh”. Once prayer is over families return home and get ready for another day of Ramadan.

Fasting Benefits

There is a lot of discussion about fasting and whether it is healthy or not. Some believe it is beneficial while others debate against it. And after many studies it is shown that fasting is in fact beneficial for your body and wellbeing. Research from Harvard university shows that fasting can regulate blood sugar and reduce hunger as well as decreasing stress on the body's insulin response. It may also lower oxidative stress which risks conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Fasting is also known for improving metabolism and blood sugar levels. Although it is agreed upon that more studies are needed for the discovery of benefits and effects, it is guaranteed to be safe to fast during the month of Ramadan.