by Rosemarie Quintal

Created on: August 09, 2009

The crescent moon following the new moon, this year August 21, 2009 begins Ramadan which lasts until September 18, 2009 or twenty eight days. Muslim devotees observe a sunrise to sunset fast, are required to red the Koran, are required to give alms, and also socialize in the evenings at the Mosque after breaking the daily fast after sunset with a date. As people compare evolving religious traditions, the date was a significant food for Zoroastrians in Persia and to the Hebrews who made a syrup of dates to off to God.

The fasting requirements are stringent and include no consumption of food or water between sunrise and sunset. Here in Hawaii that means a fast from 5 a.m. until almost 7p.m or 14 hours. As i thought of Ramadan this year I decided it would be better to be living in a winter climate this year. I am not Muslim but wanted to understand Islam more after the world trade center bombings. I fear for Muslims who fast from water for such long periods of time more than I can be involved in the debates about the burkha. I do not know the meaning for Ramadan of the Koran's verse "shake the dates toward you and do not speak to a man because your are fasting..."

Belief Net and Islam Question and Answer offer many very good tips and encouragements to help people with the Ramadan fast including to drink a lot of water before the fast begins. Islam Question and Answer once offered the name chant of the Prophet Mohamed which I thought would be a good thing to do during Ramadan. As I red the name chant the energy and meditative affect accompanied an alertness and calm important for studying the Koran. Since the Koran is also a law book containing the guidelines for restrictions and punishments including the reminders and warnings to obtain spiritual beauty or paradise or for an afterlife of separation from Allah, it seems Islamic societies have a good religious holiday that might also help guide societies into the proper legal behavior.

I thought it would be a good thing in a family or group to identify all the reminders of the Koran and designate a Warner for a family or group. Every week. each week of Ramadan a devotee picks a reminder. The Warner encourages and offers support throughout the week as to how the devotee is doing with the reminder.

Giving alms is something I participate in as a non Muslim during Ramadan. Today I found that advice in the Bible for keeping the sabbath so I thought of the benefit flowing from Ramadan and its commitments to charity, good living and fasting. Giving small alms as you become aware of an opportunity for a month at a time allows you to think more largely throughout the year that you can do more or know that you did as much as you can and another year may bring and grow more generosity for you.

The kneeling obligatory prayers five times a day are still required during Ramadan.

Ramadan ends with Eid. Hilal Plaza offers Eid gift suggestions including Korans and Eid clothing for social gatherings. I like their perfume and Arabic English Koran. Nothing was mentioned about shooting off guns as they did one Eid in Afghanistan, Praise be to Allah and Happy Ramadan.

Learn more about this author, Rosemarie Quintal.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.