Ramadan, Muslims' Lent Season

Ramadan 2009 in America

1st day of Ramadan will be on Saturday, August 22, 20091st day of Eid (End of Ramadan) will be on Sunday, September 20, 2009


How To Fast For Ramadan 

"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self-restraint.The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down, as a guidance for the people, and as clear Verses of guidance and criterion." Quran: 2:183.

Tracing its roots in Judeo-Christian fasting customs and traditions (the 40-day Christian Lent Season, and the 2-day Jewish Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement), Ramadan is Muslims' 30-day Fasting Season.Similar to Christians' Lent Season, Ramadan is also a period for fasting, praying, repentance, and deep spiritual reflections. The main difference lies in Muslims' complete abstinence from eating or drinking between daybreak and sunset for the entire 30 days.Ramadan also has another special significance for the Muslims, for it was in this month that the first revelation of the Holy Quran was made to Prophet Muhammad by God through Angel Gabriel.Ramadan ends with Eid-al-Fitr or Festival of Fast-Breaking.

Quick Glossary of Ramadan

Ramadan- ماه مبارک رمضان: Holy month of fasting for Muslims (Islamic Lent Season).

Sehri/Suhor-صرف سحری: The Pre-dawn meal before the fasting.

Fajr/Namaz Subh in Persian-نماز صبح: The morning prayer that marks the starting of the fast for the day.

Maghrib/Namaz Shab in Persian-نماز شب: The evening prayer that marks the ending of the fast for the day.

Iftaar-افطار: The time when Muslims break their fast as the sun begins to set, coinciding with the Maghrib prayer.

Leylatul Qadr/The Night of Power-لیلة القدر یا شب قدر، شب نزول قرآن شریف: Falls under the last ten days of Ramadan. A night in which the first verse of Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad by Angel Gabriel.

Taraweeh-محفل سی شب با قرآنشریف -نماز تراویح: Special evening prayer in the month of Ramadan when 1/30 of the Quran is read on successive evenings, so that by the end of the month, the entire Chapters of Quran are completed. Similar to Christians' 40-day Bible reading during Lent Season.

Eid al-Fitr-عيد سعيد فطر: Festival of Breaking the Fast, marking the the end of Ramadan.