Celebrating Ramadan
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims.
The third “pillar” or religious obligation of Islam, fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one’s spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God. Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Qur’an, giving charity, purifying one’s behavior, and doing good deeds.
As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God’s bounties. Fasting is also beneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence.
Who fasts in Ramadan?
While voluntary fasting is recommended for Muslims, during Ramadan fasting becomes obligatory. Sick people, travelers, and women in certain conditions are exempted from the fast but must make it up as they are able. Perhaps fasting in Ramadan is the most widely practiced of all the Muslim forms of worship.
Food in Ramadan
Since Ramadan is a special time, Muslims in many parts of the world prepare certain favorite foods during this month.
It is a common practice for Muslims to break their fast at sunset with dates (iftar), following the custom of Prophet Muhammad. This is followed by the sunset prayer, which is followed by dinner. Since Ramadan emphasizes community aspects and since everyone eats dinner at the same time, Muslims often invite one another to share in the Ramadan evening meal.
Some Muslims find that they eat less for dinner during Ramadan than at other times due to stomach contraction. However, as a rule, most Muslims experience little fatigue during the day since the body becomes used to the altered routine during the first week of Ramadan.
The Spirit of Ramadan
Muslims use many phrases in various languages to congratulate one another for the completion of the obligation of fasting and the ‘Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Here is a sampling of them:
“Kullu am wa antum bi-khair” (May you be well throughout the year) – Arabic
“Atyab at-tihani bi-munasabat hulul shahru Ramadan al-Mubarak” (The most precious congratulations on the occasion of the coming of Ramadan) – Arabic
“Elveda, ey Ramazan” (Farewell, O Ramadan) – Turkish
“Kullu am wa antum bi-khair” (May you be well throughout the year) – Arabic
“‘Eid mubarak (A Blessed ‘Eid)” – universal
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36 Responses to “Celebrating Ramadan”
By roni on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Tanda mo yung puno ng Igos sa Biblia? Yun na yung dates.
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By dencios on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
malapit na ang ramadan dito! inggit si tsi. haha
btw cool info about ramadan a. dioniscio is learning..
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By Chris on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
yeheyyy walang pasok nya..bakasyon engrande tohh..hehehe
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By Reesie on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
hmmm. i learn something. thanks for sharing.
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By Mars / Kulot on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
ayun o tamang tama sa pagbalik ko start na ng ramadan
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By jasonhamster on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
TSI!!!
“Kullu am wa antum bi-khair”
hehehehe
kala ko ba fasting bat may kainan???
hohohohoho
wala lang
diba uso rin dito yan sa Pinas
kasi amraming muslim d2
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By otep on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
award ka sa'kin!
Nyahahhahahaha
http://otep.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/kreativ-bl...
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Otep may entry nako 'bout it, check mo.
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Muslim ka nga pala no?
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Medyo inggit ako hmf ano plans niyo?
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Bakit ka magbabakasyon? Muslim ka ba Crisi?
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Lapit ka na pala bumalik at lumipad no? Goodluck kay misis.
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
May kinakain sila hams yung tinatawag na 'dates' bago magdasal.
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
No probs
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By Chris on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
hindi noh..national holiday yan pre..and tapat pa sa long weekends..hehehe
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By roni on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Marami pang kulturang Pilipino ang kunektado sa kultura ng gitnang silangan. Sa arabic ang fasting ay “siyam”, plural form ng “soum”. This connects to the tagalog word “pasiyam”, being fasting not necessesarily by food, but by other means as well. “siyam-siyam”, pertaining to an almost endless rainy days that led to fast due to lack of food supply.
Ang pagbabasa ng “pasyon” ay adaptation ng Qur-an reading, mapapansing sa Pilipinas lang mayroong “pabasa”.
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By TSI on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
Well said roni, may natutunan ako ah di ko alam yan.
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By Gadget Wonderland on Aug 15, 2009 | Reply
weee, oo nga!
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By Marlene on Aug 17, 2009 | Reply
I was surprised when one of my colleagues said they will start fasting this Friday already and we will have our work field trip so she's a bit worried. It's kind of early Ramadan celebration this year.
Now I have some arabic phrases to say to my Muslim colleagues. I will surprise them.
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By TSI on Aug 17, 2009 | Reply
Really? – start learning, memrize it now hehe..thanks Marlene for visiting.
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By bonistation on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
ramadan na nga tentative sa august22. pag lumabas na ang buwan. nakaresiv nga kami ng memo sa office. eto sabi:
We would like to request the non Muslims staff to respect the Muslim( patient & staff) feeling throughout the fasting month of Ramadan by abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking in public area during the day& be more tolerant with them since fasting can cause change in the mood & behavior. We wish that you all enjoy the experience of Ramadan.
Ramadan Kareem
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By bonistation on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
uu kaya nga yung “sala” prayer time nila eh parang pabasa lang sa pilipinas.. sobrang daming pagkakahawig.
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By TSI on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
Naks..kaya bantayan mo bon para ma adjust na ang sched haha!!! Petiks mode na naman.. ^_^
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By Mr. Nonsense on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
very informative. thanks.
…sige panoorin ko muna Alladin…
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By Mr. Nonsense on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
very informative. thanks.
…sige panoorin ko muna Alladin…
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By jasonhamster on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
hi tsi!!!
daan daan sa ramadam!
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By TSI on Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
Mr Nonesense welcome sa blogsite ko, exchange links tayo ha. ^_^
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By jasonhamster on Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
pag nagfasting ba ko sa ramadan mag kaka- abs na ko??
teka… muslim nga lang pala nagraramadaN!
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By beng on Aug 20, 2009 | Reply
thanks for the info ha.
ang alam ko lang kasi sa ramadan, laging walang pasok. hehe. 
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By anakngpating on Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
sana sa ramadan wala rin akong pasok haha..(sobrang imposible) ng pinag sasabi ko hehe..
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By aksoriyalmo on Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
ramdam na ramdam ko na ang ramadan!
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By Jerson Padilla on Aug 23, 2009 | Reply
Hi po, Hmmm nalilito ko ah kelan ba talaga ramadan?
Thanks for the info.
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By TSI on Aug 23, 2009 | Reply
Ang pagkaka alam ko this month, nag start sya last Aug 21 depende sa buwan o moon.
Thanks for droppin by here Jerson.^_^
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By Jerson Padilla on Aug 24, 2009 | Reply
Hi po, Hmmm nalilito ko ah kelan ba talaga ramadan?
Thanks for the info.
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By TSI on Aug 24, 2009 | Reply
Ang pagkaka alam ko this month, nag start sya last Aug 21 depende sa buwan o moon.
Thanks for droppin by here Jerson.^_^
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