Today was the start of the holy month of Ramadan here in Indonesia. This ‘once every 11 month’ event rolls around a little bit earlier every year, if you are gauging it by a western calendar. The big mosque (masjid) in Tuban must of been very busy this morning, as well as the many other mosques all over Bali.
Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان, Ramaḍān) is an Islamic religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when the Qur’an was revealed. The word “Ramadan” is derived from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. It is considered the most venerated, blessed and spiritually-beneficial month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month.
Ramadan is divided into three ten-day parts, or ashra (Arabic for ten). They are named Rahmat (mercy of God), Maghfirat (forgiveness of God), and Najat (salvation), respectively. Laylat al-Qadr, which falls during the last third, commemorates the revelation of the first verses of the Qur’an and is considered the most holy night of the year. Ramadan ends with the holiday Eid ul-Fitr, on which feasts are held. During the month following Ramadan, called Shawaal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan migrates through the seasons.
The ill and travellers may substitute other days to perform their Ramadan obligations. Children, the elderly and pregnant women are viewed as excused. Women on their period also make up the days missed, usually in Shawwal.
The most prominent event of this month is the fasting (sawm) practiced by most observant Muslims. Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat and perform their fajr prayer. They break their fast when the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib (sunset), is due and can eat and drink until dawn the next day.
During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam as well as refraining from anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backbiting, and gossip. They are encouraged to read the Qur’an. Obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Purity of both thought and action is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, as well as sympathy for those who are less fortunate, intending to make Muslims more generous and charitable. In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur’an.
Muslims tend to perform the recitation of the entire Qur’an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur’an (‘Juz’, which is 1/30 of the Qur’an) is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur’an has been completed. Tarawih is an Arabic phrase referring to those extra prayers. This prayer is performed after salah of Isha’a, but before the Wit’r Rakat. These are done in remembrance of the fact that the revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad was begun during Ramadan.
Events during and after Ramadan
Ramadan is divided into three ten-day parts, or ashra (Arabic for ten). They are named Rahmat (mercy of God), Maghfirat (forgiveness of God), and Nijat (salvation), respectively.
Laylat al-Qadr (Arabic: لیلة القدر) (also known as Shab-e-Qadr in Farsi), literally the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two[citation needed] very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe that it was the night of the Laylat al-Qadr that the Quran’s first verse was revealed. The exact night of the Laylat al-Qadr is unknown. Abu Bakr, who was a companion of Prophet Muhammad indicated that it was one of the last ten odd nights of Ramadan.
The Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر) marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted. Eid ul-Fitr means the Festival of Breaking the Fast, a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor (‘Zakat al-Fitr’), everyone put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. The prayer is two rakaahs only, and it is an optional prayer as opposed to the compulsory 5 daily prayers.
Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan that begins after Eid ul-Fitr. There are six days of fasting during Shawwal which, together with the Ramadan fasts, are equivalent to fasting “perpetually” (according to Sahih Muslim). Usually, this is taken to mean the whole year Islam online . It is a common misconception that the six days of fasting must be undertaken on consecutive days.
Here in Bali there is a schedule for pre-sunrise meals, sunrise, the various prayers, sundown eating and more prayers. Muslims from Java and other parts of Indonesia greatly enjoy Ramadan and liken it to Christmas in the west, where family members gather, people share food and a common event. Her in Bali as a tourists, Ramadan will not interfere with your enjoyment.
