Ramadan – unity and fraternity

Text and pix by Shehan Gunasekara

The month-long fast observed by Muslims across the world will culminate soon with the Ramadan festival and all its festivities. Observing fast during the holy month of Ramadan is in keeping with a divine commandment. Fasting is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam embodied in the Quran.

While very single day of the holy month of Ramadan has much importance in the lives of Muslims, the 27th day of the month holds special significance. According to the Quran, the 27th day, also called the Night of Destiny or Laylatul-Qadr in Arabic, is when the holy book Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammed through Angel Jibreel by Allah or God. 

Who is Prophet Muhammed who preached Islam? He was born in the city of Mecca to the powerful Arabian tribe, the Quraysh. The Prophet’s father passed away before Prohet Muhammed was born, and while the Prohet was still a little child, his mother also passed away. 

The orphaned Prophet Muhammed who first grew up under the guardianship of his grandfather and then his uncle Abu-Talib, became known among his community as ‘Al Amin’ (faithful and trustworthy) because of his honest, truthful and generous qualities. 

When he was a youth of 25 years, Prophet Muhammed married a wealthy widow named Khadija. However, it was only at a time in the Prohet’s life, when he had begun meditating and had gradually become more inclined towards a spiritual way of thinking that Jibreel, the angel of divine revalation, revealed Allah’s message to the Prophet. The Holy Quran was first revealed to the Prophet in the month of Ramadan.

It was from this point that Prophet Muhammed began preaching Allah’s message. However, when those who opposed this message conspired to assasinate him, the Prophet migrated to the town of Yathrib, located not very far from Mecca, in the year 632 A.D. Here, the Prophet and his followers became stronger and overcame his enemy groups. After defeating his detractors, the prophet finally returned to Mecca to make a pilgrimage, and returned to Yathrib where he continued to reside and preach the religion. 

In fact the Islamic calander is calculated from the year Prophet Muhammed made the journey from Mecca to Yathrib. This migration is called ‘Hijra’ and the town of Yathrib is now known as Medina.

The date of the Ramadan festival celebrated by Muslims is calculated according to the Islamic lunar calendar. Fasting commences and ends in the month of Ramadan which is considered a holy month by the Muslims, and is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, based on the sightings of the moon. 

There are many religious, ethical, philosophical, and practical values in the month-long fast. For instance, those who fast in the month of Ramadan will be able to empathise and understand what it is to be in hunger and give thought to those in society who go hungry.

Another important aspect of the Ramadan fast is the obligatory ‘zakat’ charity or alms-giving, under which Islam decrees that the poor, needy, helpless, and sick are provided with food and rations or the money to purchase these. The more wealthier Muslims keep aside 2.5% of the savings from their annual earnings for this zakat donation or charity.

In addition there are also a lot of health benefits associated with fasting. Furthermore, because fasting has been decreed at the highest level, by Allah, there are many religious and spiritual values attached to it. Another major value from the practice is that it strengthens the mind and inclines it to self-sacrifce.

Muslims observing the fast wake up before dawn to observe a pre-fast meal, a little before sunrise, from which time they continue the fast until sunset when the fast is broken with dates and water. While certain groups—such as  children under seven years of age, the sick and the elderly—are among those exempted from fasting, everyone else who is of good health has to observe the fast—male and female, rich and poor are all alike and on equal footing.

Devotees who have been observing the fast over the course of the month of Ramadan break from the month-long ritual to celebrate festival day which is determined based on the sighting of the new moon.  ‘Eid ul Fithr’ or the Ramadan festival marking the end of fasting is celebrated with prayer and fellowship. 

On the day of the festival, Muslims go to the mosque for morning congregational prayers. After prayers it is also the practice to visit relatives and receive visitors. A range of sweetmeats are prepared at the homes and gifts are exchanged during these visits, while the poorer relatives are gifted with food, clothes and money to celebrate the festival. 

In Sri Lanka, where the Muslim community lives among Buddhists, Christains, and Hindus, there is also the practice of giving festival sweets and meals to their neighbours and friends of other communities.

The Ramadan festival is a religious festival that binds Muslims together without making any distinctions and divisions. The sharing of the wealth that one has earned with God’s grace, among the less fortunate to be enjoyed at the community level, is an admirable concept associated with the Ramadan fast and festival that needs emphasis. 

Fasting also works as a strong equaliser and socio-cultural bond within the community.