Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. It is done to commemorate the Quran being revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. For Muslims, Ramadan is considered the holiest month of the year and it is a time for them to become closer to God.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn till sunset, which means they do not eat or drink during that time. It’s done to practice discipline and self-control as Ramadan is not just fasting, it’s a time to better yourself, refrain from sinful behavior such as gossip or arguing, and gain a deeper sense of empathy for those less fortunate than you.
“To me, Ramadan is a time when I am able to get closer to God and my community, as well as better myself as a person in Islam,” said Nahla Abdella, a 9th grader.
Senior Ramma Hamdela says that Ramadan “builds self-control and I think that helps me in school as well. So I can discipline myself, and it helps me do my work on time before I can break my fast.”
Ramadan can feel rewarding for those who chose to practice it, however, there is still a semblance of difficulty needed to help build a better character within oneself.
Senior Kaiden Ferris said during Ramadan, “I find myself being more tired throughout the day, the combination of waking up early for fajr and not eating food in the morning.
As a result, he tends “To complete work later, after Maghrib, the time I break my fast. Throughout the day I notice myself not focusing at my full capacity during easy work… but my focus returns when I do focusing activities at school, such as exams,” said Kaiden Ferris, a 12th grader.
Ramadan isn’t solely a time for fasting; there is a big emphasis on prayers during the month as a way of showing gratitude for the life you have.
“There’s five daily prayers that we pray, and the first prayer and the second to last prayer is for how long we fast. The first prayer is usually before sunrise, and the second to last prayer is at sunset. So that’s how long we fast,” said Hamdela.
“There are a lot of things about Ramadan that people either get mixed up or just aren’t able to understand. For example, Muslims do not fast for an entire month. There is a period of time where we are allowed to eat, again, from before the sun rises, and after the sun sets,” Abdella said.
Another one is “that Ramadan is a form of ‘torture’ Islam puts Muslims through. That isn’t necessarily common, though I definitely get it here and there every year. It is permissible to break a fast in times of emergency, pregnancy, menstrual cycle, or sickness. So no, fasting is not unhealthy, and definitely not a form of torture,” said Abdella.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims have one of their biggest holidays called Eid ul-Fitr or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. It’s a time for family and friends to be together and celebrate with lots of food, games, and presents.
“On that day, my parents usually call back to wish everyone a happy Eid, but in Arabic, it’s called Eid Mubarak. Usually we go to the masjid, and you pray. And then there’s usually, like bouncy houses, like a big festival, everyone’s welcome, even if they are not Muslim at all, everyone’s welcome to come play,” said Hamdela.
