Outline
- Introduction
- #1: Ramadan is a Name of a Month
- #2: Fasting the Month of Ramadan was Prescribed 2 Years After Hijra
- #3: Fasting the Month of Ramadan is an Obligation Upon the Muslim
- #4: Fasting the Month of Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days
- #5: The Length of Fasting Days Varies Depending on the Movement of the Sun
- #6: Fasting the Month of Ramadan is an Act of Worship
- #7: Fasting the Month of Ramadan Requires an Intention
- #8: The Prophet Fasted 9 Ramadans
- #9: Ramadan Is Mentioned Only Once in the Qur’an
- #10: Fasting Ramadan is Concluded with Eid
- Conclusion
10 Ramadan Essentials We Need to Know
Introduction
Alhamdulillah… Infinite thanks and praises are due to the Almighty Allah, for the arrival of the month of Ramadan. I send abundant peace and blessings upon the best man who ever observed the month of Ramadan, Sayyidinā Muhammad, his household, his companions and all those who follow his guided path till end of time.
It’s Ramadan again. That time of the year, when the most special guest to the heart of every Muslim has come again. Certainly, all Muslim hearts have activated their mood for Ramadan. You can’t help, but to activate yours. And each of us activates his differently. As for me, I do so, this time, by writing something about Ramadan in the hope to help others activate theirs. Thus, this article comes in, to present what I call “Ramadan Essentials”. This piece comes as Part 1 of 5 in a series: What You Need to Know About Ramadan.
I believe there’re other general knowledge about Ramadan, which I might have overlooked. Kindly indicate that in the comments area, and I’ll include them in future updates of this piece, inshā Allah.
To start, let’s get straight about the term Ramadan.
#1: Ramadan is a Name of a Month
The first of our Ramadan essentials is that Ramadan is the name for the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. It’s known that the Islamic calendar is a lunar-based. Additionally, it’s prescribed upon the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad to fast throughout this month. And the activity of fasting during the month is also referred to as Ramadan. Thus, depending on the context, Ramadan may mean fasting the month (of Ramadan). It could also simply be a reference to the name of the fasting month itself.
#2: Fasting the Month of Ramadan was Prescribed 2 Years After Hijra
A historical fact among our Ramadan essentials is fact that Allah’s decree upon Muslims to fast in the month of Ramadan was revealed upon the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the month of Sha‘bān of the 2nd year after his migration to Madinah. The decree to fast was also instructed to all nations that preceded us, as stated by the Qur’an (2:183). However, the Ummah of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is commanded to fast in the month of Ramadan. This means, although we’re certain the preceding nations had to fast, just like we’re doing, we have no evidence that their fasting was timed to be in the month of Ramadan. The Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said in a ḥadīth reported by Imām al-Bukhāri and Muslim:
“Islam is based on five [pillars]: the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; establishing prayer (ṣalāh); paying the zakāh; going for ḥajj and fasting Ramadan.”
With that, we understand that, the Muslim, whether he complies or not, has to believe that fasting the month of Ramadan carries the weight of testifying in the oneness of Allah. It also carries the weight of performing the daily obligatory prayers, as well as paying zakāh and going for ḥajj. Failure to observe Ramadan, therefore, has a serious implication.
#3: Fasting the Month of Ramadan is an Obligation Upon the Muslim
Fasting the month of Ramadan is an obligation upon every sense and matured Muslim. The matured Muslim who is sick, on a voyage, or a woman who is in her menses or post-natal bleed, is not exempted from fasting. They are only giving the privilege of fasting when they recover from the emergency condition. In Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:183:
Believers, fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves against evil.
Ramadan must be fasted by every matured Muslim. Male and female. The rich and the poor. Free or slave. The Learned and the ignorant.
Anyone who valid reasons prevent him from fasting during the month of Ramadan must make up the days he missed before the next Ramadan arrives.
A pregnant or breastfeeding mother, although she’s not totally exempted from fasting, she may not fast, if she assumes fasting may bring harm to her and/or her baby. But she should make up before the next Ramadan arrives. An elderly, who is feared to perish if he fasts is to feed the poor any other day he’s unable to fast.
#4: Fasting the Month of Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar system. And we know that the lunar month is either 29 days or 30. Since fasting the month is based on the activities of the month, Ramadan is, therefore, fasted either 29 days or 30. This is depending on the sighting of the crescent before the start and at the end of the month of Ramadan. This is to say, Ramadan can’t be fasted for only 28 days, and can’t be fasted for up to 31 days. And because Ramadan is a lunar month, fasting begins about 11 days earlier each year.
If for some reason, one happens to fast only 28 days and eid arrives, he should celebrate eid, and then make up for the one or two days he has missed. If a situation causes him to fast for more then 30 days, that could be resulted from a mistake in the moon sighting, he should establish certainty of the day the month began, and then base on that to subtract 29 days or 30 from the days he has fasted. Either way, only 29 or 30 days from his fasting will stand as Ramadan.
#5: The Length of Fasting Days Varies Depending on the Movement of the Sun
The length of fasting days during the month of Ramadan (or even in any other month) varies from a season to another, a region to another and from a country to another. For instance, when Ramadan arrives during winter months, when the days are short, fasting takes shorter hours. When it falls in summer months when the days are long, fasting takes longer hours.
While most countries of the world have 11 to 16 hours of fasting, some northern European countries such as Iceland, Norway and Sweden may fast for almost as long, with an average of 20 hours per day. The UK may fast for 19 hours, as well as Germany at 18 hours. Denmark, Sweden and Iceland may see the longest fast, with an average of 21 hours per day.
In fact, in Europe’s northern-most towns, the sun may set for just two hours or less, leaving the fasting Muslims with only 2 hours or less to break fast, perform Maghrib, Ishā’ and Tarāwīḥ and then take their saḥūr for the next fasting day. Last year (2015), it was reported, that in the Swedish town of Kiruna, the sun did not set from June until August. In that case, Muslims should seek advice from their local Islamic religious scholars on what to do.
#6: Fasting the Month of Ramadan is an Act of Worship
To the best of my knowledge, there’s no event in the Muslim community which is widely appreciated and practiced like Ramadan. To that effect, every Muslim community across the globe have their own way of observing the fasting month. In the so doing, some cultural practices have emerged as a result. Fortunately or unfortunately, cultural practices that have been observed alongside Ramadan have been mistaken as religious by some.
This necessitates that attention is drawn to the fact that fasting the month of Ramadan is an act of worship (‘ibādah). It’s not a cultural activity. In other words, Ramadan remains Ramadan, whether or not we incorporate cultural activities in it. In the contrary, cultural practices do not emerge to be Ramadan, no do they determine or shape Ramadan, no matter how religious it’s made to look.
Cultural practices can be practised any time. But observing the month of Ramadan can only take place when Ramadan arrives.
Ramadan is an act of worship, that’s why it has been decreed from Allah. And that’s why it serves as one of the five pillars of Islam. And because fasting the month of Ramadan is an act of worship and not a culture, a correct intention is required to be established before the Muslim starts fasting.
#7: Fasting the Month of Ramadan Requires an Intention
In the article titled, 9 Important Ramadan-Related Issues, the first issue indicated discusses the importance of establishing a proper intention for Ramadan. This is likewise any endeavour the Muslim undertakes, having a proper intention for it is the qualifying factor for it to achieve acceptance from the Almighty.
Therefore, the acceptance of our Ramadan depends on the sincerity of our intention behind it. The sincerer it is, the better acceptance it attains. Otherwise, there will be no difference between fasting and going on diet. Any one can go on diet, but Muslims go on diet with the intention of dieting. And they fast with the intention of fasting.
It’s important indicating that, fasting is an exhausting activity. It’s, therefore, not worthwhile for one to exhaust himself a day long, or a week long or a month long, just to please other than Allah.
#8: The Prophet Fasted 9 Ramadans
One of Ramadan essentials, which is also historical fact is that, since the decree of Ramadan arrived in the month of Sha’ban, a month before Ramadan, and the Prophet passed on, in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the 11th year after Hijra, the Prophet fasted 9 Ramadans (9 years).
Perhaps, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam would have want to fast more than that, in appreciation of Ramadan, and celebration of his message and the honour that has been bestowed upon him. Because, whether he fasted 9 Ramadans, more or less Allah had already forgiven all his sin.
As for you and me, any opportunity to coincide with another Ramadan is a golden blessing we should embrace. One Allah knows which of our Ramadan will grant us salvation in the sight of Allah.
#9: Ramadan Is Mentioned Only Once in the Qur’an
Among the Ramadan essentials, one may find it interesting that, the word Ramadān is mentioned only once in the Qur’an. This is despite the fact that fasting the month of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam. We learn from that, that the number of mentions is not necessarily an indication of significance. This is somehow similar to the number of times our Prophet is mentioned in the Qur’an by name; Muhammad. He is mentioned by name only 4 times, whereby other Prophets and Messengers are mentioned dozens of times. Does that degrade him? Obviously, no! In fact, he’s the master of all of them.
Similar to the number of mentions, Abū Lahab is mentioned once in the Qur’an. Does that elevate him in ranking? In fact, perhaps, that further pulls him down in the Hellfire.
We live in the era of social media, where we have earned ourselves no privacy anymore. Do not make your Ramadan for show off. Keep it between Allah and you. And seek the Pleasure of the One.
#10: Fasting Ramadan is Concluded with Eid
Fasting the month of Ramadan is one of the Islamic rituals that are concluded with a festivity. And indeed we have only two eids (festivals) in Islam. We’re allowed to celebrate the successful ending of fasting the month. We do so by donning new clothes. We do so by wishing our family members, relatives, friends and foes well. We also do so by visiting our relatives, friends and loved one.
Our eid celebrations complete, when we celebrate it as a community. No one in the community should feel deprived, for it’s eid. It’s good and commandable to give your Zakāt al-Fitr. Allah will appreciate it more from you, if you give according to Allah’s bestowals upon you, not based on the needs of the receiving poor person.
Also, while we’re celebrating, let’s be considerate and consider the situation of the people we visit. In Islam, despite the consideration of local cultures, there’re set of etiquettes we must observe when visiting one another.
Conclusion
Those were some 10 Ramadan essentials, which I believe you should know. If you already know them (and that is my assumption), please forward this article to whom may find it beneficial. Also, kindly indicate any overlooked essential in the comments area, and I’ll include them in the future updates of this piece, inshā Allah.
Our next article of “What you need to know about Ramadan” will be a discussion of some practical aspects of Ramadan. To receive it delivered right to your inbox, click here to sign up for updates from GSalam.Net.
Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 🙂
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