CONNECTOR.AE 14 CONNECTOR.AE 15 Lifestyle Lifestyle A Look Into The Holy Month Of Ramadan The Holy Month of Ramadan is celebrated every year for around 29 to 30 days and marks a time of prayer and fasting around the world. With Ramadan expected to begin on 23 March, based on the sighting of the moon, Muslims, globally abstain from eating or drinking, from when the sun rises till it sets. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and fasting is a reminder for people to feel compassion for the individuals that are less fortunate. During the Holy Month of Ramadan, the five pillars of Islam followed by Muslims are: • Shahada (Faith): Muslims are required to declare that they believe that there is only one God, Allah, and in his messenger, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). • Salah (Prayer): During Ramadan, praying five times a day is observed. • Zakat (Almsgiving): Ramadan is a time of giving where Muslims are encouraged to give to the less fortunate. This year, when Ramadan begins Muslims will fast for around 10 hours and 33 minutes, and towards the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, will fast for 12 hours and 26 minutes. To mark the end of a fast, Muslims wait for the sun to set and traditionally break their fast with dates, followed by a filling meal called Iftar. Before Muslims break their fast for Iftar, one of the ways to mark the end of fasting for the day is through Ramadan cannons. Located in various places around the UAE, every day, cannons with blank cartridges are fired by the police authorities. The amazing spectacle is one for all to check out during the Holy Month of Ramadan and can usually be found in popular tourist hotspots. The tradition behind the Ramadan cannons being fired dates back to 1960s, due to many people being unable to know when it was time to break their fast, as there were no speaker systems at mosques to announce the end. • Sawm (Fasting): Throughout the Holy Month, Muslims, starting from the age of 11 or 12 years old, begin fasting and from then on continue throughout their life. • Hajj (Pilgrimage): At least once during a Muslim’s life, a pilgrimage is mandatory to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslims walk for around 10 kilometres around the Kaaba, which is located at the centre of the Masjid Al Haram, one of the most important mosques in Islam. During the month, Muslims pray five times during the day, at dawn (Fajr), noon (Zuhr), mid-afternoon (Asr), sunset (Maghrib) and evening (Isha). To mark the beginning of the fasting period in the morning, Muslims wake up before the sun rises and eat a meal called Suhoor, after which they do not eat or drink till sunset. The duration for how long Muslim’s fast depends entirely on the sun and when it rises and sets.
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