For Muslims, Ramadan
– the ninth month of the Islamic calendar – is a time for inner
reflection, prayer and giving to others
Tomorrow begins the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the beginning of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim religion. Muslims believe it is during this month that God sent the angel Gabriel to speak the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad.
“Muhammad would go into seclusion and the angel Gabriel would reveal the Qur’an to him,” explained Hamdy Abbass, a Gilroy business owner and member of the South Valley Islamic Community. “Muhammad didn’t want to say the exact day, so all we know is that sometime during the last 10 days of Ramadan is when the angel came to speak to Muhammad. He didn’t want the focus to be on one day; he wanted us to spend a significant amount of time reflecting on the messages of the Qur’an. We do this during Ramadan.”
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, refusing both food and water. They also abstain from sex during daylight hours. They spend the month reflecting on their life and their sins, and they make efforts to give especially generous donations to charity.
“When you give up food for a whole day, you come to realize how many things you take for granted,” said Hollister resident Rohena Barra, a member of the South Valley Islamic Community. “If you never skip a meal, you don’t know what it’s like for those who don’t have enough to eat. You may see poverty either briefly in your own community or in your travels, but this is how we feel poverty.”
By drastically changing their daily routines and setting aside a month for inner reflection, Muslims have time to think about the kinds of lives they lead, their roles in the community and, ultimately, their roles on earth, Barra explained. Along with self-examination and making corrections to lifestyles, Ramadan is also a time to focus on the Islamic faith’s foundations.
Muslims say five prayers a day every day, but during Ramadan, the fifth prayer is altered. During the extended version of the fifth prayer, one section of the Qur’an is recited each day by the Imam, the religious leader in the Islamic faith. The Imam is a person who has studied the Qur’an since childhood, and who has memorized every word and every verse in the book. By the end of Ramadan, Abbass explained, the Imam has recited the entire Qur’an for the congregation.
“Islam is all about deeds,” Barra said. “It’s about what kind of person you are, what kind of deeds you do for others. By hearing the whole Qur’an in one month, we are reminded of what we should be doing with our lives.”
Muslims begin fasting during Ramadan around age 9 and often start fasting for just part of the day rather than from sunup to sundown, Abbass said. By age 12, they generally fast all day along with the adults. People who are sick, have medical conditions, are traveling long distances or are pregnant are exempt from fasting during Ramadan.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated by the Eid al-Fitr, one of the major celebrations of the Islamic religion. Members of the Islamic community come together for a meal and to mark the end of the holy month. Very traditional Muslims will break their fasts every day and at the Eid al-Fitr with goat’s milk and date fruits, followed by regular meals.
“We know that God listens to us anytime we turn to him, but during Ramadan we focus on turning to God, asking for forgiveness and guidance and to examine our faith,” Abbass said. “A lot of people who are not Muslim see Ramadan as a time of harsh punishment, or as something very strict and very difficult. But that’s not the case. I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and we don’t view Ramadan as a hardship. It’s a very special time for us.”
