Do You Know What Ramadan Is?

August 03, 2010

To encourage public awareness, the Excelsior Springs Branch will be displaying books on Ramadan during the 2nd week of August.  Ramadan starts on Wednesday, August 11 and continues through September 9.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty, and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of Allah and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims 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 is recited. Therefore, the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.

Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing, and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, charity, good deeds, kindness, and helping others. Since it is a festival of giving and sharing, Muslims prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family and friends and for giving to the poor and needy who cannot afford it; this can involve buying new clothes, shoes and other items of need.

Books on the topics Ramadan and on the Muslim religion can be found in the Dewey number of 297.3.

Angela H.