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Holiday Symbols and Customs, 5th Edition
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Ramadan
Type of Holiday: Religious (Muslim)
Date of Observation: Ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar
Where Celebrated: Africa, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, and throughout the
Muslim world
Symbols and Customs: Fasting, Five Pillars, Iftar, New Moon, Sahur
Related Holidays: Hajj, Id al-Fitr, Laylat al Bara’ah, Laylat al-Qadr
ORIGINS
Ramadan, a significant period of fasting, reflection, and prayer for all Muslims, is
a holiday in the religious tradition of Islam, one of the world’s largest religions.
According to some estimates, there are more than one billion Muslims worldwide,
with major populations found in the Middle East, North and sub-Saharan Africa,
Turkey, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. In Europe and the United States, Islam
is the second largest religious group, with some seven million adherents in the
United States. During the early years of Islam, the faith spread throughout the
Arabian Peninsula into regions that are today occupied by Saudi Arabia, Syria,
Iraq, and Jordan. Contrary to popular opinion, however, Muslims are not just
Arabs. Muslims—followers of Islam—are found in many different ethnic groups
all over the globe. In fact, Arabs make up less than twenty percent of Muslims.
The word Islam is an Arabic word that means “surrender to God.” Its other meanings include peace, safety, and health. The central focus of Islam is a personal commitment and surrender to Allah, the Arabic word for God. In Islam, the concept of
Allah is universal and eternal. Allah is the same in every religion and throughout
the history of humankind. A person who follows Islam is called a Muslim, which
means one who surrenders or submits to Allah’s will. But Islam is not just a religion
of belief; it is a religion of action. Five specific deeds are required of followers; these
are called The Five Pillars of Islam. They are 1) Shahadah—confession of faith; 2) Salat—
prayer/worship; 3) Zakat—charity; 4) Sawm—fasting; and 5) Hajj—pilgrimage.
The message of Islam was brought by Muhammad (570-632 c.e.), who is considered a prophet of Allah. The holy book of Islam is the Qur’an (also sometimes
spelled Koran or Alcoran). According to Islamic belief, the Qur’an was revealed
to Muhammad by Allah over a period of twenty-three years. Authorship of the
Qur’an is attributed to Allah, and not to Muhammad; Muhammad merely received
it. Muslims believe that because it originated with Allah, the Qur’an is infallible.
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There are two main sects within Islam: Sunni and Shi’ite. Sunni Muslims are the
majority (estimated at about eighty percent). They recognize the authority of the
first four Caliphs, including Ali, and they believe that the Sunna (the example of
the Prophet Muhammad) is interpreted through the consensus of the community.
Shi’ite Muslims also look to special teachers, called imams. The imams are the
direct descendants of Muhammad through Fatimah and Ali. These individuals are
believed to be inspired and to possess secret knowledge. Shi’ites, however, do not
recognize the same line of Islamic leaders acknowledged by the Sunnis. Shi’ites
hold to a doctrine that accepts only leaders who are descended from Muhammad
through his daughter Fatimah and her husband Ali. Many Shi’ite subsects believe
that true imams are errorless and sinless. They receive instruction from these leaders rather than relying on the consensus of the community.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year, and it marks the anniversary of
more than one significant event. It was during Ramadan that the Qur’an was first
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (see LAYLAT AL-QADR). According to legend, as Muhammad sat alone in the wilderness, the angel Gabriel came to him with
a golden tablet in his hands and told the Prophet to read what was written on it.
This was the essence of the Qur’an, just as the Tablets of the Law received by Moses
on Mount Sinai were the essence of the Old Testament. The Battle of Badr— the
first battle between the idol worshippers of Mecca and the Muslims of Medina—
also occurred during Ramadan, resulting in a glorious victory for the Muslims.
fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars or requirements of the Islamic faith. It begins with the sighting of the new moon, usually
on the 28th day of the previous month. In many Islamic countries, the start of
Ramadan is announced with the firing of a gun or cannon on the eve of the first
day, since the Islamic “day” begins at sunset. Cannon fire is also used to signal
the beginning and end of each day’s fast. The morning hours are typically spent
reciting the Qur ‘an, while the remainder of the day is spent sleeping, reading, and
praying. As sunset approaches, Muslims gather in the mosque to chant the Qur’an
and pray. When the gun announcing the end of the fast is fired, they return home
to eat. It is compulsory for every Muslim over the age of twelve to observe the fast.
Children learn to fast by doing so gradually, until they are old enough to do so
without injuring their health.
Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the observation of Ramadan moves through
the year, eventually occurring in each of the seasons. When it falls at the height of
summer, the fast is even more difficult to observe. The days can be nearly sixteen
hours long, and although Muslims are permitted to hold water in their mouths for
a moment, they cannot drink any until the sun goes down.
Like the Christian LENT or the period between ROSH HASHANAH and YOM
KIPPUR for Jews, Ramadan is a time for self-examination and increased religious
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devotion. The fast ends when the new moon is again sighted and the month of
Shawwal begins. It is followed by the ID AL-FITR, the Festival of Breaking Fast,
which lasts for three days and is marked by feasting and the exchange of gifts.
SYMBOLS AND CUSTOMS
Fasting
The rules regarding the Ramadan fast are very stringent. No food or drink is permitted between sunrise and sunset; kissing, smoking, bathing, sexual intercourse, and
receiving injections are forbidden as well. Some Muslims even try to avoid swallowing their saliva or opening their mouths more than is absolutely necessary to draw in
fresh air. Only travelers, mothers with young babies, young children, the aged, and
those who are very ill are excused from the requirements of the fast. Menstruating
women are also exempt, but they must make up for the lost fast days at some point
during the year. The same rule applies to days lost for health or travel reasons.
While the days are spent fasting, each night the fast is broken with a feast. It is
customary to begin with a white soup made of wheat broiled in meat broth. This
is followed later by a regular dinner of meat, rice, and vegetables. The rule is that
when it becomes light enough outside to distinguish a white thread from a black
one, the fast must be resumed. Muslims believe that whoever observes the fast
faithfully and with pure intentions will have his or her sins forgiven. Fasting during Ramadan is said to be thirty times more effective than doing so at any other
time of year.
The purpose of fasting is to teach the self-discipline that is needed to prepare for
the suffering that Muslims may have to face in the course of obeying their God. It
is also a powerful means of defeating Satan, because the passions that are Satan’s
weapons are strengthened by eating and drinking. Finally, fasting is a communal
experience that makes everyone more aware of what it is like to feel hunger.
According to the Prophet, there are five things that will undo the good that has
been acquired through fasting: telling a lie, denouncing someone behind his or her
back, slander, a false oath, and greed or covetousness.
Five Pillars
The Five Pillars of Islam are the fundamental tenets or requirements that are
accepted by all branches of the Muslim faith. They are as follows:
(1)
Shahadah: The duty to recite the creed of Islam: “There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is His Prophet.”
(2)
Salat: The duty to worship God with prayer five times each day.
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(3)
Zakat: The duty to be charitable, to distribute alms, and to help the needy.
(4)
Sawm: The observance of the Fast of Ramadan.
(5)
Hajj: The duty to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime.
Fasting during Ramadan is the Fourth Pillar, although the first two Pillars are considered the most essential (i.e., no one who disregards them can be considered a
Muslim).
Iftar
When the fast ends at sunset each day during Ramadan, the meal that is taken to
break the fast is called iftar. It is a happy occasion in most Muslim families. Foods
that have been prepared at home or purchased at the market are spread out on a
table while everyone sits around and waits for the sun to go down. The timing of
iftar is usually announced on radio and television, but the old tradition is to listen
for the call from the minarets of the mosque. Muslims usually break their fast by
first eating a date or taking a drink of water—in imitation of the Prophet, who
broke his fast in a similar manner.
New Moon
The Islamic calendar is lunar, which means that each month begins with the
appearance of the new moon. In Muslim countries, everyone comes out of the
house to see the new moon of Ramadan. Many climb up on their roofs or go to
the tops of nearby hills to get a better view. Once the new moon has been sighted,
everyone congratulates each other and hurries back inside to prepare for the early
morning meal (see sahur).
If the weather is cloudy and the moon is difficult to see, Islamic countries broadcast the news of its sighting. Once the appearance of the new moon is confirmed
by at least two people, the news is announced on radio and television. Before these
means of communication were invented, it was traditionally announced by firing
a cannon.
Sahur
The sahur is a meal taken just before dawn and the start of the day’s fast during
the month of Ramadan. In cities and towns, many people walk through the streets
in the early morning hours, beating drums and playing flutes or calling out to let
people know that it is time to partake of the pre-dawn meal.
If Ramadan falls during the winter, when the nights are long and people have
plenty of time to rest, sahur is a full meal. But on short summer nights, because
of the limited amount of time between iftar and sahur, the early morning meal is
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very light and simple. After it is over, everyone prepares for morning prayer, worshipping either at the mosque or at home.
WEBSITES
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/ramadan_1.shtml
Islamic Association of Raleigh
www.raleighmasjid.org/imam/fiqh-ramadan.html
Rath Yatra
(Jagannatha Festival, Car Festival)
Type of Holiday: Religious (Hindu)
Date of Observation: June-July; Hindu month of Asadha
Where Celebrated: India
Symbols and Customs: Chariot
ORIGINS
The Rath Yatra festival celebrates the god Krishna and is part of the Hindu faith,
which many scholars regard as the world’s oldest living religion. The word Hindu
is derived from the Sanskrit term Sindhu (or Indus), which meant river. It referred
to people living in the Indus valley in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism has
no founder, one universal reality (or god) known as Brahman, many gods and
goddesses (sometimes referred to as devtas), and several scriptures. Hinduism
also has no priesthood or hierarchical structure similar to that seen in some other
religions, such as Christianity. Hindus acknowledge the authority of a wide variety of writings, but there is no single, uniform canon. The oldest of the Hindu
writings are the Vedas. The word “veda” comes from the Sanskrit word for knowledge. The Vedas, which were compiled from ancient oral traditions, contain
hymns, instructions, explanations, chants for sacrifices, magical formulas, and
philosophy. Another set of sacred books includes the Great Epics, which illustrate
Hindu faith in practice. The Epics include the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the
Bhagavad Gita.
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