Month of Ramadan:

Ramadan

Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.  Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations.

Although the fast is beneficial to health, it is regarded principally as a method of spiritual self-purification.  By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry, as well as growth in his or her spiritual life.

Ramadan began this year on August 1.  It lasts 30 days and ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr on August 30.

During the Holy Month of Ramadan, believers are expected to follow Sharia law, with fasting from sun up to sun down for 30 days. This fast is intended to help instill patience, self-sacrifice, spiritual cleansing, enlightenment and submissiveness to God. Ramadan is an especially important month in the Islamic calendar as it is believed to be the month when the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the prophet Muhammad, thus bestowing the revelations of God on mankind.

I gained a great respect for this religion by having Muslim students in my class.  They were young enough that they did not have to fast but many of them did.  I found it admirable that they chose to participate in this activity.  I wish the best for all true Muslims as they celebrate their religion in this important manner.