What Ramadan is All About

‘There’s some bottled water downstairs,’ my grandma informed me as we were just finishing up dinner. ‘You should take a couple to work in the morning.’

Why is she telling me this, I thought to myself. Please tell me she hasn’t forgotten that I can’t even drink water during a Ramadan fast. ‘Why would I take water to work?’ I inquired, wary of what the answer would be.

‘So you can stay hydrated. You won’t be eating lunch.’

Great, just the reply I was dreading to hear. While my grandma and I very rarely butt heads when it came to me being a Muslim, she is very opinionated and is not afraid to let it be known. I didn’t have to tell her I was restricted from ingesting anything to know how she would react to that one. But I had to tell her. ‘I can’t drink water, remember?’

‘What? You can’t even drink water?’

‘No, we can’t eat or drink anything. That includes water.’ What makes water so special that whenever I tell a non-Muslim I can’t eat or drink anything, they think water is an exception?

My grandma gave me a funny look, like I was insane – and right about then she probably thought I was insane. Me and the rest of the Muslims that fast. ‘That’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m sorry Tamara, but that’s just crazy. It isn’t even healthy!’ At least she apologized.

I didn’t say much after that, for I know just how opinionated my grandma can be; no amount of arguing or discussion would change her mind. I told her that, while I did have to work up to nine hours on some days, I had fasted through much tougher situations and had never experienced adverse effects. And, even though I must fast through the hot, humid, oppressive South Dakota summer, at least I’m not living in someplace hotter. But, not surprisingly, my words had no effect on my grandma.

To her, and to probably many other non-Muslims, what we do during Ramadan is the opposite of sane. Most probably don’t even know what Ramadan is. They might know it includes fasting, but don’t know the specifics.

So, for you non-Muslims out there who may not know much about Ramadan, what is this ritual that has Muslims fasting?

Ramadan is one of the five pillars of faith for Muslims. It is the ninth month of the lunar calendar (Islam does not follow the solar calendar) and the holiest period of the Islamic year. Ramadan is thought to be month in which the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wassalam by Allah in the year 610 CE.

The rules of Ramadan are simple and straightforward: for one lunar month, all practicing, able-bodied Muslims who have experienced puberty are forbidden to eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. There are a few other caveats, such as inhaling anything or basically just taking anything into a body organ, but the main restriction is not ingesting anything. Other forbidden activities include participating in sensual pleasures during daylight hours; thus, no sex, no smoking (although smoking is generally classified as forbidden anyway), and no music.

Muslims believe that during this holy month the gates of hell close, meaning Shaytan, the devil, in unable to tempt them during a month of rigorous discipline, charity, and self-control. The objective of the fast is to diminish one’s dependence on material goods, purify the heart, and establish camaraderie with the poor to inspire charitable works during the year. Ramadan is as much a period of self-growth as of self-denial. The Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wassalam once purportedly said, ‘He who does not abandon falsehood in word and actions in accordance with fasting, Allah had no need that he should abandon his food and drink.’

An average day in Ramadan can start as early as 3 am, with a pre-dawn meals known as suhoor (sehri for Urdu speakers). Suhoor often consists of protein- and carbohydrate-packed food to get the faster through the long, foodless day. The rest of the day is spent reciting prayers, abstaining from bad deeds, and reading the Qur’an. Fasters are expected to read the entire Qur’an within the month, thus many mosques have taken to breaking down the Qur’an into 30 even parts to be recited daily in sermons. The fast lasts until the sun sinks below the horizon and is broken with a small meal known as iftar. This small meal is followed by the maghrib prayer, which is in turn followed by a larger meal.

The end of Ramadan is signaled by the sighting of the new moon, which means the new lunar month has begun. This time is marked by a huge, three-day festival called ‘Eid al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast-Breaking). ‘Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time of the year after a joyous month. Families and even whole villages come together to celebrate the end of the month of fasting.

And thus, that is what Ramadan is all about. Of course, Ramadan is far more than what I have written in, but this is the basics. In essence, it’s a month devoted to worshipping Allah more than the norm, as well as learning self-control and encouraging Muslims to help the needy. So while Muslims may seem absolutely bonkers for fasting from sunrise to sunset for a whole month, there is great wisdom behind the act and the benefits of doing so are immense.

To all my fellow Muslims, I wish you Ramadan kareem! May Allah bless us all, forgive us our sins, and keeps us on the right path. And may He accept our efforts during this wonderful month. Ameen.