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The Meaning of Ramadan
Ramadan is a special month of the year for over
one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for
inner reflection, devotion to God, self-control and charitable
practices. Many Muslims think of Ramadan as a kind of spiritual
“tune-up,” not unlike Lent in the Christian tradition.
During Ramadan, faithful Muslims fast from
sun-up to sundown; they also practice good manners and refrain
from other practices that are not allowed such as backbiting,
cussing, ill treating others. During Ramadan, Muslims try to
read as much of the Qur'an as they can. Most try to read the
whole book at least once; some spend part of their day listening
to the recitation of the Qur'an in a mosque.
Ninth Month
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar. The start of the month is based on a combination of
physical sightings of the moon and astronomical calculations.
Because the Islamic lunar calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the
Gregorian calendar, the period of Ramadan migrates throughout
the seasons. Thus, if
Ramadan begins on January 20 this year, next year it will
begin on January 9. The entire cycle takes around 35
years. In this way, the length of the daylight, and thus the fasting
period, varies in length from place to place over the years.
Every Muslim, no matter where he or she lives, will see an
average Ramadan day of the approximately 13.5 hours.
The last ten days of Ramadan are a time of
special spiritual power as everyone tries to come closer to God
through devotions and good deeds. The night on which the first
verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet, known
as the Night of Power (Lailat ul-Qadr), is
generally taken to be the 27th night of the month. The Qur'an
states that this night is better than a thousand months.
Therefore many Muslims spend the entire night in prayer.
Fasting
Fasting during Ramadan may be the most widely
practiced of all Muslim forms of worship and piety. Fasting is
considered the third “pillar” or religious obligation of Islam,
and voluntary fasting is recommended for Muslims throughout the
year. During Ramadan fasting becomes obligatory, although sick
people, travelers, and women in certain conditions are excused
from fasting. During Ramadan the daily period of fasting starts
at dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. In between Muslims
totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The
usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before
dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset.
Fasting has many special benefits. Among these,
the most important is that it is a means of learning
self-control. Fasting is also a way of experiencing hunger,
developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to be
thankful for all of God's gifts. Fasting is beneficial to the
health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or
over-indulgence.
Favorite Foods
Since Ramadan is a special time, Muslims in many
parts of the world prepare certain favorite foods during this
month. It is a common practice for Muslims to break their fast
at sunset with dates, following the custom of Prophet Muhammad.
This is followed by the sunset prayer, which is followed by
dinner. Since Ramadan emphasizes community aspects and since
everyone eats dinner at the same time, Muslims often invite one
another to share in the Ramadan evening meal. Some Muslims
find that they eat less for dinner during Ramadan than at other
times due to stomach contraction. However, as a rule, most
Muslims experience little fatigue during the day since the body
becomes used to the altered routine during the first week of
Ramadan.
Greetings
Muslims use many phrases in various languages to
congratulate one another for the completion of the obligation of
fasting and the 'Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Here is a
sampling of them:
• Kullu am wa antum bi-khair
(May you be well throughout the year) -
Arabic
• Atyab at-tihani bi-munasabat hulul shahru
Ramadan al-Mubarak
(The
most precious congratulations on the occasion of the coming of
Ramadan) -
Arabic
• Elveda, ey Ramazan
(Farewell, O Ramadan) - Turkish
• Kullu am wa antum bi-khair
(May you be well throughout the year) -
Arabic
• 'Eid mubarak
(A Blessed 'Eid) - universal
More
Information
Getting Ready for Ramadan. Iman Abdullah Antepli.
(Huffington Post)
• • •
Catholic-Muslim Dialogue
'For the well-being of the human family'
“Dear friends, I have come to Jerusalem on a journey of faith. I
thank God for this occasion to meet you as the Bishop of Rome
and Successor of the Apostle Peter, but also as a child of
Abraham, by whom ‘all the families of the earth find blessing’
(Gen 12:3; cf. Rom 4:16-17). I assure you of the Church's ardent
desire to cooperate for the well-being of the human family. She
firmly believes that the fulfillment of the promise made to
Abraham is universal in scope, embracing all men and women
regardless of provenance or social status. As Muslims and
Christians further the respectful dialogue they have already
begun, I pray that they will explore how the Oneness of God is
inextricably tied to the unity of the human family. In
submitting to his loving plan for creation, in studying the law
inscribed in the cosmos and implanted in the human heart, in
reflecting upon the mysterious gift of God's self-revelation,
may all his followers continue to keep their gaze fixed on his
absolute goodness, never losing sight of the way it is reflected
in the faces of others.”
-- Pope Benedict XVI, address at "al-Kubbah al-Nahawiyya" in
Jerusalem,
May 12, 2009. Online at:
http://www.zenit.org/article-25871?l=english
• • •
' An encouraging and persuasive example'
“For this reason we cannot fail to be concerned that today, with
increasing insistency, some maintain that religion fails in its
claim to be, by nature, a builder of unity and harmony, an
expression of communion between persons and with God.… In
the face of this situation, where the opponents of religion seek
not simply to silence its voice but to replace it with their
own, the need for believers to be true to their principles and
beliefs is felt all the more keenly. Muslims and Christians,
precisely because of the burden of our common history so often
marked by misunderstanding, must today strive to be known and
recognized as worshippers of God faithful to prayer, eager to
uphold and live by the Almighty's decrees, merciful and
compassionate, consistent in bearing witness to all that is true
and good, and ever mindful of the common origin and dignity of
all human persons, who remain at the apex of God's creative
design for the world and for
history….
“Of great merit…are the numerous initiatives of
inter-religious dialogue…. Such initiatives clearly lead to
greater reciprocal knowledge, and they foster a growing respect
both for what we hold in common and for what we understand
differently. Thus, they should prompt Christians and Muslims to
probe even more deeply the essential relationship between God
and his world so that together we may strive to ensure that
society resonates in harmony with the divine order. In this
regard, the co-operation found here in Jordan sets an
encouraging and persuasive example for the region, and indeed
the world, of the positive, creative contribution which religion
can and must make to civic society.”
-- Pope Benedict XVI, in an address following a visit to King
Hussein bin Talal Mosque in Amann, Jordan, May 9, 2009, online
at:
http://www.zenit.org/article-25838?l=english
• • •
'Dialog is the tool'
“As religious believers, it's up to us all to be educators of
peace, of human rights, of a freedom which respects each person,
but also to ensure increasingly strong social bonds, because man
must take care of his human brothers and sisters without
discrimination.... In this spirit, the pursuit and
intensification of dialogue between Christians and Muslims must
be considred important, in both educational and cultural
dimensions. Thus all forces can be mobilised...so that the
younger generations do not become cultural or religious blocs
opposed to one another, but genuine brothers and sisters in
humanity. Dialogue is the tool which can help us to escape
from the endless spiral of conflict and multiple tensions which
mark our societies, so that all peoples can live in serenity and
peace and with mutual respect and harmony....”
-- Cardinal
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue, in a message for the close of Ramadan
issued Sept. 29, 2007. (available online at
www.justpax.it/pcgp/eng/home_eng.html
)
• • •
Muslims and Catholics participating in regularly
scheduled meetings of the West Coast Dialogue of
Catholics and Muslims reached agreement on the following five
points:
• We, Catholics and Muslims, believe that God is the source of
peace and justice, and thus we fundamentally agree on the nature
of peace and justice and the essential need of all to work for
peace and
justice.
• Our rich teachings and traditions of peace and justice serve
as a resource and inspiration for all; however, our immediate
and present actions to work together are often wanting. The need
to work
together for peace and justice is a pressing demand in these
troubled times.
• We believe that it is God who forgives and that as Catholics
and Muslims we are called by God to offer forgiveness.
Forgiveness is an important step to moving beyond our past
history if we are to preserve
human dignity, to effect justice, and to work for peace.
• We may disagree on certain points of doctrine, even as we
respect the others’ rights to believe in the fundamental
integrity of their teachings and affirm all their human and
religious rights. With love and in the pursuit of truth, we will
offer our criticisms of one another when we believe there is a
violation of integrity of faith in God. We must avoid demonizing
one another and misrepresenting one
another’s teachings and traditions.
• When we meet in dialogue and discuss matters of peace,
justice, and forgiveness, while being faithful to our
traditions, we have experienced a profound and moving connection
on the deepest level of our faith, which must take effect in our
lives.
Resources
A list of official Catholic statements on Islam is available at:
United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops
You can
find more online resources about Catholic-Muslim dialog on the
following websites:
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops
U.S. Catholic Magazine
A Common Word
Additional resources about
Catholic-Muslim relations:
Catholics Should Not Fear Islam (Zenit)
Celebrating Ramadan (Catholic Near East Welfare
Association/One Magazine)
Middle
East Priest Explains Islam/1
(Zenit)
Middle East Priest Explains Islam/2 (Zenit)
Final Statement of the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Permanent
Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue Among the Monotheistic
Religions (Feb., 2009). (Zenit)
Final Statement of the 11th Colloquium of the Pontifical Council
for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society
(Dec., 2008) (Zenit)
Ten Things to Know About Islam (St. Anthony
Messenger)
Suggestions for
Further Reading
Dardess, George. Do We Worship the Same God?--Comparing the
Bible and the Qur’an. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2006.
Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. 3rd edition.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Esposito, John L. The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality.
3rd edition. Oxford University Press, 1987.
Haddad, Yvonne Y. and Adair T. Lummins. Islamic Values in
the U.S. Oxford University Press, 1987.
Heier, Vincent. What Catholics Should Know About Islam.
Liguori Publications.
Hussain, Amir. Oil and Water--Two Faiths, One God.
Northstone Publishing, 2006.
Khan, Alisha Karen. What You Will See Inside a Mosque.
Skylight Paths Publishing, 2003.
Mallon, Elias. Islam--What Catholics Need to Know.
National Catholic Education Association, 2006.
Rahman, Fazlur. Islam. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1979.
Rahman, Fazlur. Major Themes of the Quran. Bibliotheca
Islamica, 1980.
Renard, John. 101 Questions on Islam (revised).
Paulist Press, 2005.
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Posted 07.02.10 • Last Update: 04.20.12
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