Resource: Ramadan
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 3m 10s
Size: 8.8 MB
In this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, two young American Muslims observe Ramadan, a month-long period of fasting and prayer that lasts from sunrise to sunset. Zuleqa and Khizer Husain of northern Virginia describe their daytime practices, which may include an hour or more of reading the Qur'an, and their evening meal, which often becomes a party.
Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, Ramadan, published August 21, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/islam08.socst.world.glob.ramadan/
- Background Essay
- Questions for Discussion
- Standards
Print Background EssayThe month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is considered a blessed and holy month because it is during Ramadan that Muslims believe the first verses of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 C.E.
It is obligatory for all able Muslims to fast during the entire month of Ramadan. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims do not eat or drink. The Qur’an commands fasting during the holy month as testimony of one's commitment to God in the face of temptation and hardship. Fasting teaches Muslims piety, self-discipline and restraint. Fasting also helps to constantly remind Muslims of the poor who are deprived of a stable diet. Through their observance of Ramadan, Muslims are able to empathize with those less fortunate and be thankful for all of God’s blessings.
The month of Ramadan is not only about the physical experience of not eating or drinking; there is also a change in spiritual and moral conduct. In the spirit of the sacred month, Muslims are supposed to practice patience and generosity, and curb all negative behavior. An increased amount of time is given to the reading of the Qur’an and the worship of God. Many Muslims attend the masjid (a correct and more accurate term for mosque) nightly to pray the evening prayer and Tarawih, special Ramadan prayers that follow. The leader of the prayers reads one-thirtieth of the Qur’an each night, so that by the end of the month it will have been read in its entirety to the Muslims who have communed for worship.
The activities of Ramadan allow Muslims to increase their faith and become closer to God. The positive feelings gained and behaviors practiced during Ramadan are qualities that Muslims hope to extend long after the month is over.
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