Muslims in Pasadena around the world begin 30 days of fasting from sunrise to sunset as Ramadan begins this weekend.
Freed from the pandemic restrictions, this year’s Ramadan will once again “be a big time for family and community to come together and share a meal and engage in social activities,” Omar Ricci, spokesperson for the Islamic Center of Southern California, said earlier describing the holiday.
“But also it’s a big time for extra prayers, and extra engagement with God.”
The exact date of Ramadan varies from year to year because it depends upon the rising of the crescent moon. During the month that follows, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
“At nighttime when the sun sets, we have a meal called an iftar, which this time of the year is around 7:30, Ricci said.
According to Ricci, one of the key purposes or reasons for fasting is to demonstrate control over one’s desires.
Every hour put into fasting will receive blessings; yet fasting is only a small portion of Ramadan. Observers also commit to taking on a whole attitude toward people where they cannot argue or think ill of anyone. During the month Muslims must be kind, do good works, do charity, and think only good thoughts about other people, he said.
Muslims, numbering an estimated 1.8 billion across the planet, observe Ramadan because they believe it is the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast daily from just before Fajr, the sunrise prayer, to the sunset prayer, Maghrib, in fulfilment of one of the five pillars of Islam. By fasting, which entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations, Muslims are able to achieve greater “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.
The other four pillars of Islam are the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
During Ramadan, working hours in many Muslim-majority countries are reduced, and many restaurants are closed during fasting hours. Anywhere in the world, Muslims greet each other “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem,” which means a blessed month and a generous month, respectively.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which in Arabic means the “festival of breaking the fast.” Eid al-Fitr this year is likely to fall on May 2, again depending on the sighting of the new moon.
