The holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic Calendar. Muslims practice this month by fasting from Dawn to Dusk; ie they eat till right before the Fajr prayer and break their fast as they hear the Maghrib prayer. During this period from dawn to dusk, Muslims abstain from all sorts of foods, drinks, smoking, or sexual relations. The traditional three meals are now substituted with two meals; ie Suhoor and Iftaar. The meal one has before the Fajr Azaan is Suhoor which provides them energy throughout the day to continue their daily activities and Iftaar is the meal that Muslims break their fast with as they hear the Maghrib Azaan.
During this month Muslims try to spend most of their time praying and connecting to Allah, reciting the Quran and giving away charities.
The believers of each religion should respect the believers of the other religion which is why there are some dos and don’ts that everyone should try following during Ramadan.
Do’s
- Wish your Muslim friends ‘Ramadan Kareem’ or ‘Ramadan Mubarak’, which means ‘Wish you a generous Ramadan’.
- If you wish to participate by giving away charity, donate at Ramadan camps and Muslim Masajids.
- Listen to music quietly on headphones or in your house without disturbing others.
- Abstain from eating in front of those who are fasting to show your respect.
- If you are invited to an Iftaar meal or called over friends to break the fast, be courteous enough to accept the invitation. You can also offer dates to your hosts, as they are usually the first food to break the fast.
Don’ts
- Don’t drink, chew gum, eat, smoke, or listen to music loudly in public during Ramadan.
- Don’t wear revealing or tight clothes, wear respectful clothing during this period.
- Don’t get into fights, abuse, or swearing as Ramadan preaches peace and love.
Ramadan is the month of repenting and spending it with your loved ones. Respect this month.
