INDEPTH: ISLAM
Ramadan
Ashish Dewan | Updated January 20, 2004
Ramadan is derived from the Arabic root word ramida denoting intense scorching heat and dryness. It is a holy month for the Islamic community when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. Ramadan is celebrated in the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. The beginning of Ramadan is ascertained by physically sighting the new crescent moon, referred to as hilel. Muslims believe that it was in the month of Ramadan that the Holy Qur'an "was sent down from heaven."
During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. Muslims consider the human being to be composed of physical and spiritual parts whose excellence depends on the right proportion of the two. The fasting orients the observant toward their spiritual side through the exercise of restraint. Muslims believe that though prayer and fasting one can achieve salvation and be relieved of past sins.
Whenever the orbit turns and Ramadan approaches, Muslims believe that happiness and joy return. This year during Ramadan, the situation is different. There is a war in Afghanistan.
Despite substantial gains by the U.S.-lead Alliance forces, bombing continued into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on November 16. Hundreds of U.S., French and British troops are now in Afghan territory, in a war that will not end until bin Laden and the al-Queda network are defeated. This could aggravate simmering anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world.
Muslim allies, whose support is considered essential to the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign, had called for a ceasefire during the holy month. Pakistani Chief-Executive General Pervez Musharraf warned, "If the United States does not exercise restraint during the month of Ramadan, certainly they will have some negative effects in the Muslim world."
Donald Rumsfeld, the U.S. defence secretary, defended the ongoing campaign. "History is replete with instances where Muslim nations have fought against themselves or with other countries during various important holy days," he said.
Many wars have been fought during Ramadan. The Egyptians and Syrians launched the 1973 war on Israel during Ramadan. Mohammed's conquest of Mecca took place in the middle of Ramadan.
The Qur'an refers to fighting "as a great transgression." Despite this, it does not decisively say that warring is not permitted during holy days. "Fighting therein is a great transgression but a greater transgression with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the Way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid-al-Haram (a holy site at Mecca) and to drive out its inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing" says the Qur'an.
Many Islamic fundamentalist groups, including Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, proclaim that their warring efforts are justified as they need to defend their religion. Bin Laden, in a pre-recorded speech on an Arab television station after the U.S. and British strikes on October 6, commented "Every Muslim has to rush to make his religion victorious."
Ramadan should be a time of worship and contemplation. The Qur'an says that you begin the day's fast when "you can plainly distinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daylight." When daylight fades the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. Following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.
During the holy month, all believers must refrain from telling a lie, slander, denouncing someone behind his back, making false oaths, or greed. They also must perform a special prayer, called the Taraweeh, in addition to the five daily prayers.
Id-al-Fitr celebrates the end of the fast. Gifts are exchanged and friends and families gather for large meals. The purpose of the month-long fasting period is to remould, reshape, reform and renew the believer's physical and spiritual disposition and behaviour.
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