Ramadan and Fasting in Islamism

Ramadan – the ninth month in the Islamic calendar - is also known as the month of fasting. During the whole month of Ramadan, most Muslims observe fast each day from dawn till dusk. People who observe this fast abstain from food, water, drink, smoking, and sexual relations. What is more, fasting people have to avoid indulging in foul talk, lustful thoughts and even vain speech. Muslim people are also pushed to read the entire Koran during the month of Ramadan.

The dates of holy month of Ramadan differ every year because the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles. It may be noted here that the solar calendar, the calendar that most of we are familiar with, is different from the lunar calendar.

When is Ramadan 2013 - It will start on Tuesday, the 9th of July and will carry on for thirty days until Wednesday, the 7th of August.

Several Muslims insist on the local physical sighting of the moon to mark the beginning of Ramadan, but many others make use of the calculated time of the new moon or the Saudi Arabian declaration to decide the beginning of this holy month. Thus Ramadan 2013 may vary slightly based on the method used to determine the beginning of the month. As the new moon is not in the similar state at the same time all around the globe, the start and end of Ramadan depend on lunar sightings that are received in each respective location on Earth. That is why starting and ending dates of Ramadan vary in different countries, but normally only by a day.

It is also important to mention here that each year, Ramadan starts nearly eleven days earlier than in the previous year. Ramadan 2012 had started on 20th of July; thus Ramadan 2013 will start 11 days earlier, i.e., on 9th of July.

Subsequent to the month of Ramadan, three weeks are observed as feast of celebration, known as Eid al-Fitr. This period is a time for Muslims to make note of their accomplishments during the holy month of Ramadan as well as to feast & enjoy themselves.

It may be very difficult to travel during Ramadan in Islamic countries because the roads are often busy with people going to and coming from mosques. Moreover, bars and other nighttime venues are closed during this holy month so that the owners of these places can concentrate on prayer and worship.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars on which the religion of Islam is based on. The other four pillars are: testifying that there is nothing worthy of worship besides Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger; Praying 5 times per day at the appointed times; offering a part of one's income in charity to the poor & needy; and making a pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca no less than once in a lifetime.