9 questions on Ramadan you had been too embarrassed to ask

Ramadan is the Muslim holy month, and a lot of the world’s estimated 1.9 billion Muslims will observe it in some kind.

Which suggests there is a good likelihood you — or a good friend, a coworker, a neighbor, your kid’s trainer — will likely be celebrating, fasting, and doing all kinds of different actions which might be distinctive to the holy month.

However what’s Ramadan, precisely? What’s the cope with fasting? And is there something particular it’s best to do or say once you’re round Muslim buddies and acquaintances throughout Ramadan?

Don’t fear, we have got you coated: Listed here are essentially the most primary solutions to essentially the most primary questions on Ramadan.

1) What’s Ramadan really about?

Ramadan is essentially the most sacred month of the 12 months for Muslims — the Prophet Mohammed reportedly mentioned, “When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained.”

Muslims imagine it was throughout this month that God revealed the primary verses of the Quran, Islam’s sacred textual content, to Mohammed, on an evening often known as “The Night time of Energy” (or Laylat al-Qadr in Arabic).

Throughout the complete month of Ramadan, Muslims quick day-after-day from daybreak to sundown. It’s meant to be a time of non secular self-discipline — of deep contemplation of 1’s relationship with God, additional prayer, elevated charity and generosity, and intense research of the Quran.

But when that makes it sound tremendous severe and boring, it is actually not. It is a time of celebration and pleasure, to be spent with family members. On the finish of Ramadan there’s an enormous three-day celebration referred to as Eid al-Fitr, or the Competition of the Breaking of the Quick.

It is sort of just like the Muslim model of Christmas, within the sense that it is a spiritual vacation the place everybody comes collectively for large meals with household and buddies, exchanges presents, and usually has a stunning time.

2) How does fasting work?

Fasting throughout Ramadan is among the 5 pillars — or duties — of Islam, together with the testimony of religion, prayer, charitable giving, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims are required to participate yearly, although there are particular dispensations for individuals who are sick, pregnant or nursing, menstruating, or touring, and for younger kids and the aged.

The observe of fasting serves a number of non secular and social functions: to remind you of your human frailty and your dependence on God for sustenance, to indicate you what it feels wish to be hungry and thirsty so you’re feeling compassion for (and an obligation to assist) the poor and needy, and to cut back the distractions in life so you possibly can extra clearly focus in your relationship with God.

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims abstain from consuming any meals, consuming any liquids, smoking cigarettes, and interesting in any sexual exercise, from daybreak to sundown. That features taking medicine (even should you swallow a capsule dry, with out consuming any water). Chewing gum can be prohibited (although I did not discover that one out till about midway by means of my first Ramadan after changing — oops).

Doing any of these issues “invalidates” your quick for the day, and also you simply begin over the subsequent day. To make up for days you did not quick, you possibly can both quick later within the 12 months (both unexpectedly or a day right here and there) or present a meal to a needy particular person for every day you missed.

Muslims are additionally presupposed to attempt to curb adverse ideas and feelings like jealousy and anger, and even lesser issues like swearing, complaining, and gossiping, in the course of the month. Some individuals may additionally select to surrender or restrict actions like listening to music and watching tv, typically in favor of listening to recitations of the Quran.

3) What’s a typical day like throughout Ramadan?

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims get up properly earlier than daybreak to eat the primary meal of the day, which has to final till sundown. This implies consuming numerous high-protein meals and consuming as a lot water as potential proper up till daybreak, after which you’ll’t eat or drink something.

At daybreak, we carry out the morning prayer. Because it’s normally nonetheless fairly early, many return to sleep for a bit earlier than waking up once more to prepare for the day (I actually do).

Muslims should not presupposed to keep away from work or college or some other regular duties in the course of the day simply because we’re fasting. In lots of Muslim nations, nonetheless, companies and faculties might scale back their hours in the course of the day or shut completely. For essentially the most half, although, Muslims go about their day by day enterprise as we usually would, regardless of not with the ability to eat or drink something the entire day.

When the night name to prayer is lastly made (or when the alarm in your cellphone’s Muslim prayer app goes off), we break the day’s quick with a lightweight meal — actually extra of a snack — referred to as an iftar (actually “breakfast”), earlier than performing the night prayer. Many individuals additionally go to the mosque for the night prayer, adopted by a particular prayer that’s solely recited throughout Ramadan.

Robin Utrecht/SOPA Photos/LightRocket by way of Getty Photos

Mahmud Hams/AFP by way of Getty Photos

That is normally adopted by a bigger meal a bit later within the night, which is usually shared with household and buddies in each other’s houses all through the month. Then it is off to mattress for just a few hours of sleep earlier than it is time to get up and begin yet again.

(Notice: There are good causes for less than having a small snack to interrupt your quick earlier than performing the night prayer after which consuming an even bigger meal later. Muslim prayers contain numerous motion — bending over, prostrating on the bottom, standing up, and many others. Doing all that bodily exercise on a full abdomen after not having eaten for 15 hours is a recipe for catastrophe. Simply belief me on this one.)

Regardless of the hardship of fasting for a complete month, most Muslims (myself included) really sit up for Ramadan and are a little bit unhappy when it’s over. There’s simply one thing actually particular about realizing that tens of tens of millions of your fellow Muslims world wide are experiencing the identical starvation pangs, dry mouth, and dizzy spells that you’re, and that we’re all in it collectively.

4) So do you drop extra pounds throughout Ramadan?

A few of it’s possible you’ll be pondering, “Wow, that appears like an effective way to drop extra pounds! I’ll attempt it!” However in reality, Ramadan is definitely infamous for occasionally inflicting weight acquire. That is as a result of consuming massive meals tremendous early within the morning and late at evening with an extended interval of low exercise bordering on lethargy in between can wreak havoc in your metabolism.

One meta-analysis of scientific research on the results of Ramadan fasting on physique weight discovered that “[w]eight adjustments throughout Ramadan had been comparatively small and principally reversed after Ramadan, step by step returning to pre-Ramadan standing. Ramadan gives a possibility to drop extra pounds, however structured and constant way of life modifications are crucial to realize lasting weight reduction.” [Italics mine.]

So similar to with some other excessive food regimen plan, it’s possible you’ll lose just a few kilos, however except you really make “structured and constant way of life modifications,” you are in all probability not going to see main, lasting outcomes.

5) Why do the dates of Ramadan change yearly?

For spiritual issues, Muslims observe a lunar calendar — that’s, one based mostly on the phases of the moon — whose 12 months add as much as roughly 354 days. That is 11 days shorter than the twelve months of the usual Gregorian calendar. Subsequently, the Islamic lunar calendar strikes backward roughly 11 days every year in relation to the common Gregorian calendar.

In order that implies that the primary day of the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, strikes backward by about 11 days every year.

This has a big influence on how individuals expertise Ramadan from 12 months to 12 months. When Ramadan falls within the winter, it is a lot simpler to quick: the times are shorter, which implies you do not have to quick as lengthy, and it is colder out, so not with the ability to drink water all day is not as huge of a deal since you’re not sweating as a lot.

Conversely, when Ramadan falls in the summertime, fasting could be brutal. In lots of Muslim nations within the Center East and Africa, summer time temperatures can attain ranges normally reserved for the deepest bowels of hell.

And in some Northern European nations reminiscent of Iceland, Norway, and Sweden (the place, sure, there are Muslims), fasting can final a mean of 20 hours or extra in the summertime. (And in just a few locations above the Arctic Circle, the solar by no means really units in the summertime. In these circumstances, Muslim spiritual authorities have decreed that Muslims can both quick together with the closest Muslim nation or quick together with Mecca, Saudi Arabia.)

6) Okay, however why is there all the time confusion yearly about precisely what day Ramadan begins on?

There is a motive “Ramadan begin date” is among the most-searched phrases each single 12 months. That is as a result of Muslims world wide have no idea when precisely Ramadan is definitely supposed to begin. For those who Google it, you will see there’s a little bit disclaimer underneath Google’s reply that claims “Dates might differ”:

That additionally has to do with the moon — in addition to disagreements about science, historical past, and custom, plus a little bit of geopolitical rivalry.

The start of every new month within the Islamic calendar begins on the brand new moon. Which suggests the month of Ramadan begins on the brand new moon. Easy sufficient, proper?

Fallacious.

If it has been some time since your highschool astronomy class, here is a reminder of what the phases of the moon appear like:

Getty Photos/iStockphoto

Again in Mohammed’s day, in sixth-century Arabia, astronomical calculations weren’t as exact as they’re right this moment, so individuals glided by what they may see with the bare eye.

For the reason that new moon is not really tremendous seen within the evening sky (as you possibly can see above), Muslims historically waited to begin fasting till the small sliver of crescent moon grew to become seen. There’s even a saying attributed to the Prophet Mohammed about ready to begin the quick till you see the crescent. (Some individuals assume that is why the star and crescent is the image of Islam, however the crescent was used as an emblem lengthy earlier than Islam.)

This technique was a bit messy, although, since issues like clouds or simply the issue of recognizing the moon in some areas typically led to completely different teams beginning their quick on separate days, even inside the similar nation. Every group, village, and even mosque inside the village may ship its personal man out to search for the crescent, with rival teams arguing over whether or not the opposite man actually noticed it.

Immediately, nonetheless, we now have exact scientific calculations that inform us precisely when the brand new moon begins, and we needn’t wait till somebody spots a tiny crescent within the sky. (In actual fact, in accordance with the Oxford Dictionary of Islam, “The necessity to decide the exact look of the hilal [crescent moon] was one of many inducements for Muslim students to review astronomy.”)

So, drawback solved! Besides that some Muslim students imagine we should always nonetheless wait till the slight crescent moon is seen within the evening sky as a result of that is what Mohammed mentioned to do and that is the way in which we have all the time performed it.

Others argue that Islam has a powerful custom of motive, information, and science, and that if Mohammed had been round right this moment, he’d select the extra exact scientific calculations over sending the man on the mosque with the perfect eyesight outdoors to squint on the evening sky.

To make issues much more enjoyable, some argue that the entire world ought to simply observe the official moon-sighting decrees of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and the situation of its holiest websites.

However not everybody thinks that is such a swell thought — particularly rival nations like Pakistan and Iran, which balk on the thought of treating Saudi Arabia as the last word authority on something having to do with Islam.

All which means that every year, Muslims world wide get to expertise the pleasant lunacy of “moon-sighting preventing.” It is such a well-recognized function of Ramadan that there are memes about it:

7) Are there variations between how Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims observe Ramadan?

For essentially the most half, no. Each Sunni and Shia Muslims quick throughout Ramadan. However there are some minor variations — for example, Sunnis break their day by day quick at sundown, when the solar is now not seen on the horizon (however there’s nonetheless mild within the sky), whereas Shia wait till the redness of the setting solar has fully vanished and the sky is completely darkish.

Shia additionally have fun a further vacation inside the month of Ramadan that Sunnis don’t. For 3 days — the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first days of Ramadan — Shia commemorate the martyrdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed who was each the revered fourth caliph of Sunni Islam and the primary “reputable” imam (chief) of Shia Islam.

Ali was assassinated within the fierce civil wars that erupted following the demise of Mohammed over who ought to lead the Muslim group in his stead. On the nineteenth day of the month of Ramadan, whereas Ali was worshipping at a mosque in Kufa, Iraq, an murderer from a gaggle of rebels who opposed his management fatally struck him with a poisoned sword. Ali died two days later.

Ali is a massively vital determine in Shia Islam. His tomb in close by Najaf, Iraq, is the third-holiest web site in Shia Islam, and tens of millions of Shia make a pilgrimage there yearly. Though Sunnis revere Ali as one of many 4 “rightly guided” caliphs who dominated after Mohammed’s demise, they don’t commemorate his demise or make a pilgrimage to his tomb.

Getty Photos/iStockphoto

8) What can I do to be respectful of my Muslim buddies throughout Ramadan?

In some Muslim nations, it’s a crime to eat and drink in public in the course of the day within the month of Ramadan, even should you’re not Muslim.

In fact, this isn’t the case in america, the place we take pleasure in freedom of (and freedom from) faith. And most American Muslims, myself included, do not anticipate the non-Muslims round us to transform their habits to accommodate our spiritual quick throughout Ramadan.

I’ve had buddies and coworkers who’ve chosen to quick together with me out of solidarity (or simply as a result of it appears “enjoyable”), and that was candy of them, but it surely’s not one thing I ever anticipate individuals to do. (Plus, they normally final about three days earlier than they determine solidarity is overrated and being thirsty for 15 hours shouldn’t be remotely “enjoyable.”)

All that mentioned, there are issues you are able to do, and never do, to make issues a little bit simpler for buddies or colleagues who occur to be fasting for Ramadan. For those who share an workplace with somebody fasting, possibly eat your scrumptious, juicy cheeseburger within the workplace break room reasonably than at your desk, the place your poor, struggling Muslim coworkers should odor it and salivate (in the event that they even have sufficient moisture left of their our bodies to salivate at that time).

Attempt to keep in mind to not supply them a chew or a sip of what you are consuming, as a result of it is typically exhausting for us to do not forget that we’re fasting and simple to absentmindedly settle for and eat that Lay’s potato chip you simply supplied us. However should you do, it is okay. We’re not going to get mad or be offended (except you are doing it on function, wherein case, what’s mistaken with you?).

For those who’re having a cocktail party and also you need to invite your Muslim buddies, attempt to schedule it after sundown to allow them to eat. Muslims do not drink alcohol or eat pork, however we normally do not thoughts being round it. (Opposite to standard perception, we’re not afraid of or allergic to pork; we simply do not eat it. It is not like we’re vampires and pork is garlic.) However do tell us if there’s alcohol or pork in one thing so we do not by chance devour it.

If you wish to want your Muslim buddies or acquaintances a contented Ramadan or joyful Eid al-Fitr, you are welcome to simply say, “Comfortable Ramadan!” or “Comfortable Eid!” That is not offensive or something. However if you wish to present them you made an effort to be taught extra about their faith, the usual greetings are “Ramadan/Eid kareem” (which implies “have a beneficiant Ramadan/Eid”) or “Ramadan/Eid mubarak” (which implies “have a blessed Ramadan/Eid”).

Even one thing so simple as studying a type of expressions and saying it with a smile to your Muslim buddies will go a great distance towards making them really feel snug and welcome.

9) So should you’re not presupposed to get indignant or complain or gossip throughout Ramadan, how come terror assaults by teams like ISIS and al-Qaeda typically spike throughout Ramadan?

As a result of terrorists are assholes.

Replace, March 22, 2023: This story was initially printed in 2017 and has been up to date with new dates, and to take away outdated references.

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