Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr

• Background info

  - Ramadan is the month associated with fasting - defined as

  the abstinence of food + drink from sunrise to sunset

  - After conclusion of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid - ul- Fitr
• The month of Ramadan

  - Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar

  - Fasting is not exclusive to Islam as it was previously practiced in religions such as Christianity

  - However, argued that there is more emphasis on this in Islam because it is commanded by Allah, thus making it compulsory - also one of the 5 pillars of Islam

  - As with other compulsory things, there are some who are exempt, including children and pregnant women

  - Ramadan is not just about abstaining from food and drink - Muslims will also abstain from sinful acts, such as lying, and will make every effort to be a better Muslim by thinking about consequences of their actions
• Religious and Moral Benefits - 1) Obedience

  • Muslims believe there are a number of religious and moral benefits to practicing fasting

  
  

  • Through fasting, a Muslim shows obedience to God by following his command that instructs them to fast
• 2) Spirituality

  A Muslim can become more spiritual and attain closeness to Allah by fasting

  This is done by having awareness of him and offering both compulsory and voluntary prayers
• 4) Empathy

  A Muslim will have more awareness and be able to empathise with the less fortunate by fasting - they may have to past out of necessity
• 3) Discipline

  During Ramadan, a Muslim is able to develop and work on being more disciplined by not giving in to temptation

  Having this discipline will help with other aspects of life
• 5) Morality

  A person will become more moral and have a better awareness of the principles of their faith and will make every effort to act accordingly
• Role of the ummah in maintaining traditions of Eid

  - Eid ul fitr is an Islamic festival celebrated after Ramadan

  - This festival falls on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month of Islamic calendar

  - Idea of the ummah was traditionally put forward by Muhammad and refers to the wider Muslim community
• Eid ul Fitr

  - This celebration lasts 3 days in Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia

  - Community festival which emphasises unity, fold togetherness, sharing, all of which feed into the ummah

  - Represents a fresh start - after cleansing the self of sin during Ramadan
• The Day of Eid

  - Begins with congregational prayer which often takes place at the masjid

  - To prepare, a Muslim will bathe and dress in new clothes to represent a new start

  - Prior to the prayer, a sermon will be delivered by the imam, in which he will a encourage them to continue the good work they did in Ramadan

  - After the prayer, those in the congregation will hug one another and greet each other with 'Eid Mubarak'

  - After making their way home, a person will then greet immediate family members and at around midday, extended families will get together and share food

  - Later, some choose to visit friends, whilst others may visit the graves of family members bs pay their respects