| Ramadan | |
|---|---|
 The first Ramadan's cresent |
|
| Also called | Ramaḍān al-Karīm (Ramadan, the Generous), 11 Ayın Sultanı (Sultan of The Months) |
| Observed by | Muslims |
| Type | Muslim, cultural |
| Begins | 1 Ramadan |
| Ends | 29, or 30 Ramadan |
| Date | Variable (follows the Islamic lunar calendar) |
| 2010 date | 11/12 August – 09/10 September |
| 2011 date | 1–29 August |
| Celebrations | Communal Iftars |
| Observances | Sawm (fasting), zakat (almsgiving), Tarawih prayer, reading the Qur'an |
| Related to | Eid ul-Fitr, Laylat al-Qadr |
Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān, Arabic pronunciation: [rɑmɑdˤɑːn]) (also Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, Ramdan, Ramadaan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual activities from dawn until sunset.[1] Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. It is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God (Arabic: الله, trans: Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards about eleven days each year depending on the moon. Muslims believe Ramadan to be the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and many other important revelations (Mary was told that she would give birth to Jesus, etc).[2]
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[edit] Origins of Ramadan
The name "Ramadan" had been the name of the ninth month in Arabian culture long before the arrival of Islam; the word itself derived from an Arabic root rmḍ, as in words like "ramiḍa" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat,[3] scorched ground and shortness of rations. In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you". According to the earliest hadith, this refers to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur.[4][5]
