UAE Stories and Cultural Learning: Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; it doesn’t start on the same date each year, passing through all the seasons. Compared with the Gregorian calendar, used in the west, the lunar calendar falls short by eleven days; each month starts on a new moon. This means that Ramadan begins about eleven days earlier each year.
Held since ancient times, Ramadan was established to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Prophet Mohammad on the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr, translated as “the Night of Destiny”, the holiest night of the year. In the year 610 AD, when Mohammad was 40 yers old, he had a vision of an angel appearing before him; the angel, named Jibril, gave Mohammad the initial revelations of what became the sacred Quran; its first verse, which was Iqra’a, translates into English as “Read”.
Every day of Ramadan during the daylight hours, religious Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and smoking, as well as unkind or impure thoughts, words, and immoral behavior. Ramadan is much more than just fasting; it is an entire month out of Muslim’s ordinary lives. It’s an annual observance to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-restraint and sacrifice.
The fasting is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of those who suffer throughout the year. During the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims are encouraged to help the underprivileged through charitable activities and donations.
To prepare for fasting, the worshipper rises early in the morning and eats the “suhoor”, a pre-dawn meal of power foods to get them through the day.
As Prophet Mohammad did some 1,400 years ago, Muslims traditionally break their fast with a sip of fresh water and some dates at sunset. After the sunset prayer starts the iftar which is a large feast shared with family and friends, a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure.
Mosques and aid organization set up tents for the public to eat free iftar meals every night of Ramadan. Increasingly common are Ramadan tents in five-star hotels that offer meals from sunset to sunrise. Typically, the start of the month is welcomed with greetings, such as “Ramadan Mubarak”! Non-Muslims are also required to respect Ramadan, and not to make a show of eating and drinking in public. During Ramadan, the dress code is more restrained.
Shopping, business and Government office hours change. The end of the Holy Month is celebrated by a three-day holiday, called Eid-al-Fitr. Children often receive new clothes, gifts and cash and families attend early morning Eid prayers spending the rest of the day visiting relatives.
