Ramadan: Make the best of the holy month

Ramadan is a holy month observed by more than one billion Muslims around the world. Ramadan is a time for spiritual purification achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers. Ramadan is also one of the five pillars of  Islam which appeared in the two holy books of Islam which  are the Qur’an and Sunnah  (Hadith). Ramadan, […]

Ramadan is a holy month observed by more than one billion Muslims around the world. Ramadan is a time for spiritual purification achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers.
Ramadan is also one of the five pillars of  Islam which appeared in the two holy books of Islam which  are the Qur’an and Sunnah  (Hadith).
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, may be 29 or 30 days long. An  Islamic month begins with the sighting of the new crescent  in the western horizon, immediately after sunset.
Muslims  look toward the western horizon for the new moon on the 29th  day of Sha’aban, the eighth month. If the new moon is sighted,  the month of Ramadan begins at sunset but fasting begins with  the next dawn.
If the new moon is not sighted on this 29th  day, Muslims complete 30 days of Sha’aban and Ramadan begins  the following day.   Muslims fast because Allah has commanded them to do so.  However, they may also think about the benefits of fasting  which may include developing control over hunger, thirst and  sexual urges, and  testing sincerity to the Creator.
During the fast, Muslims  may conduct their businesses as usual. However, in Muslim  countries working hours are shortened by a couple of hours a  day to make the work comfortable. 
 A Muslim who is  fasting is expected to behave orderly, not to talk a lot and  avoid vulgar and indecent words. A Muslim is also required  to attend tafsir (the translations of Qur’an) and Sunnah,  and preaching of the Islamic way of life and reminding  Muslims of Allah and the hereafter.  
The fast is broken immediately after sunset,  usually by eating dates and drinking water or juice.
 However, any lawful food or drink may be used to break the  fast. This is followed by the Maghrib salat (after sunset  prayer) which is followed by a complete meal. After a brief  rest, Muslims go to the mosque to offer the Isha’i salat  (night prayer) and then a special night prayer, called  Taraweeh. This nightly congregational salat (prayer) is performed after the Isha’i  salat. Traditionally, a Hafiz of the Qur’an, a person who has  memorized the whole Qur’an which is in Arabic, leads the  prayer.
He recites the Qur’an in small portions, in proper  sequence, every night and completes the recitation of the  whole Qur’an before the end of the month of Ramadan. Every  Muslim who attends such prayers regularly gets the  opportunity of listening to the whole Qur’an in a  month.     
 Muslims are also  required to attend late night prayers during the last nine  or 10 days of Ramadan known as Sallatul-tahajjud to seek  for the night of Lailatul-Qadr (the night of power). Muslims  look forward to this night because it is a night better than  a thousand month according to Surah Al-Qadr, all sins of  those who attend are forgiven and prayers are answered.
The  Qur’an was revealed on the night of Lailatul-Qadr which  is one of the last 10 days of Ramadan but the actual day is  not really known to Muslims but is said to have some signs  which includes slight rain drops, the feeling of peace  everywhere, and the sky appears to be crystal clear.
Only  Muslims who are lucky enough have the opportunity of  witnessing the night of Lailatul-Qadr.
Hadiza Musa Saleh, Department of Mass  Communication University of Maiduguri, 08033194711, 09035357084