9 questions on Ramadan you had been too embarrassed to ask

Ramadan is the Muslim holy month, and a lot of the world’s estimated 1.8 billion Muslims will observe it in some kind.

Which suggests there is a good probability you — or a pal, a coworker, a neighbor, your kid’s trainer — can be celebrating, fasting, and doing all kinds of different actions which might be distinctive to the holy month.

However what’s Ramadan, precisely? What’s the take care of fasting? And is there something particular you need to do or say whenever you’re round Muslim pals and acquaintances throughout Ramadan?

Don’t fear, we have you lined: Listed below are essentially the most fundamental solutions to essentially the most fundamental questions on Ramadan.

1) What’s Ramadan truly about?

Ramadan is essentially the most sacred month of the yr for Muslims — the Prophet Mohammed reportedly stated, “When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained.”

Muslims imagine it was throughout this month that God revealed the primary verses of the Quran, Islam’s sacred textual content, to Mohammed, on an evening often called “The Evening of Energy” (or Laylat al-Qadr in Arabic).

Throughout your complete month of Ramadan, Muslims quick each day from daybreak to sundown. It’s meant to be a time of non secular self-discipline — of deep contemplation of 1’s relationship with God, additional prayer, elevated charity and generosity, and intense research of the Quran.

But when that makes it sound tremendous critical and boring, it is actually not. It is a time of celebration and pleasure, to be spent with family members. On the finish of Ramadan, there’s an enormous three-day celebration referred to as Eid al-Fitr, or the Pageant of the Breaking of the Quick.

It is type of just like the Muslim model of Christmas, within the sense that it is a non secular vacation the place everybody comes collectively for giant meals with household and pals, exchanges presents, and usually has a beautiful time.

2) How does fasting work?

Fasting throughout Ramadan is among the 5 pillars — or duties — of Islam, together with the testimony of religion, prayer, charitable giving, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims are required to participate yearly, although there are particular dispensations for many who are ailing, pregnant or nursing, menstruating, or touring, and for younger kids and the aged.

The observe of fasting serves a number of non secular and social functions: to remind you of your human frailty and your dependence on God for sustenance, to indicate you what it feels prefer to be hungry and thirsty so you’re feeling compassion for (and an obligation to assist) the poor and needy, and to cut back the distractions in life so you may extra clearly focus in your relationship with God.

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims abstain from consuming any meals, ingesting any liquids, smoking cigarettes, and interesting in any sexual exercise, from daybreak to sundown. That features taking remedy (even in the event you swallow a tablet dry, with out ingesting any water). Chewing gum can also be prohibited (although I did not discover that one out till about midway by my first Ramadan after changing — oops).

Doing any of these issues “invalidates” your quick for the day, and also you simply begin over the subsequent day. To make up for days you did not quick, you may both quick later within the yr (both all of sudden or a day right here and there) or present a meal to an individual in want for every day you missed.

Muslims are additionally alleged to attempt to curb destructive ideas and feelings like jealousy and anger, and even lesser issues like swearing, complaining, and gossiping, through the month. Some individuals may select to surrender or restrict actions like listening to music and watching tv, typically in favor of listening to recitations of the Quran.

3) What’s a typical day like throughout Ramadan?

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims get up properly earlier than daybreak to eat the primary meal of the day, which has to final till sundown. This implies consuming plenty of high-protein meals and ingesting as a lot water as attainable proper up till daybreak, after which you’ll’t eat or drink something.

At daybreak, we carry out the morning prayer. Because it’s normally nonetheless fairly early, many return to sleep for a bit earlier than waking up once more to prepare for the day (I actually do).

Muslims aren’t alleged to keep away from work or faculty or some other regular duties through the day simply because we’re fasting. In lots of Muslim international locations, nevertheless, companies and faculties might cut back their hours through the day or shut fully. For essentially the most half, although, Muslims go about their day by day enterprise as we usually would, regardless of not having the ability to eat or drink something the entire day.

When the night name to prayer is lastly made (or when the alarm in your telephone’s Muslim prayer app goes off), we break the day’s quick with a light-weight meal — actually extra of a snack — referred to as an iftar (actually “breakfast”), earlier than performing the night prayer. Many individuals additionally go to the mosque for the night prayer, adopted by a particular prayer that’s solely recited throughout Ramadan.

Benson Ibeabuchi/AFP through Getty Pictures

Amir Makar/AFP through Getty Pictures

That is normally adopted by a bigger meal a bit later within the night, which is usually shared with household and pals in each other’s properties all through the month. Then it is off to mattress for a couple of hours of sleep earlier than it is time to get up and begin once more.

(Be aware: There are good causes for less than having a small snack to interrupt your quick earlier than performing the night prayer after which consuming a much bigger meal later. Muslim prayers contain quite a lot of motion — bending over, prostrating on the bottom, standing up, and many others. Doing all that bodily exercise on a full abdomen after not having eaten for 15 hours is a recipe for catastrophe. Simply belief me on this one.)

Regardless of the hardship of fasting for a complete month, most Muslims (myself included) truly sit up for Ramadan and are just a little unhappy when it’s over. There’s simply one thing actually particular about understanding that tens of tens of millions of your fellow Muslims world wide are experiencing the identical starvation pangs, dry mouth, and dizzy spells that you’re, and that we’re all in it collectively.

4) So do you shed extra pounds throughout Ramadan?

A few of you could be pondering, “Wow, that seems like a good way to shed extra pounds! I will strive it!” However the truth is, Ramadan is definitely infamous for sometimes inflicting weight acquire. That is as a result of consuming giant meals tremendous early within the morning and late at evening with a protracted interval of low exercise bordering on lethargy in between can wreak havoc in your metabolism.

One meta-analysis of scientific research on the results of Ramadan fasting on physique weight discovered that “[w]eight adjustments throughout Ramadan had been comparatively small and principally reversed after Ramadan, progressively returning to pre-Ramadan standing. Ramadan offers a chance to shed extra pounds, however structured and constant life-style modifications are vital to attain lasting weight reduction.” [Italics mine.]

So identical to with some other excessive food regimen plan, you could lose a couple of kilos, however until you truly make “structured and constant life-style modifications,” you are most likely not going to see main, lasting outcomes.

5) Why do the dates of Ramadan change yearly?

For non secular issues, Muslims comply with a lunar calendar — that’s, one primarily based on the phases of the moon — whose 12 months add as much as roughly 354 days. That is 11 days shorter than the 12 months of the usual Gregorian calendar. Subsequently, the Islamic lunar calendar strikes backward roughly 11 days annually in relation to the common Gregorian calendar.

In order that signifies that the primary day of the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, strikes backward by about 11 days annually.

This has a big impression on how individuals expertise Ramadan from yr to yr. When Ramadan falls within the winter, it is a lot simpler to quick: the times are shorter, which implies you do not have to quick as lengthy, and it is colder out, so not having the ability to drink water all day is not as huge of a deal since you’re not sweating as a lot.

Conversely, when Ramadan falls in the summertime, fasting might be brutal. In lots of Muslim international locations within the Center East and Africa, summer season temperatures can attain ranges normally reserved for the deepest bowels of hell.

And in some Northern European international locations similar to Iceland, Norway, and Sweden (the place, sure, there are Muslims), fasting can final a median of 20 hours or extra in the summertime. (And in a couple of locations above the Arctic Circle, the solar by no means truly units in the summertime. In these circumstances, Muslim non secular authorities have decreed that Muslims can both quick together with the closest Muslim nation or quick together with Mecca, Saudi Arabia.)

6) Okay, however why is there all the time confusion yearly about precisely what day Ramadan begins on?

There is a cause “Ramadan begin date” is among the most-searched phrases each single yr. That is as a result of Muslims world wide have no idea when precisely Ramadan is definitely supposed to start out.

That additionally has to do with the moon — in addition to disagreements about science, historical past, and custom, plus a little bit of geopolitical rivalry.

The start of every new month within the Islamic calendar begins on the brand new moon. Which suggests the month of Ramadan begins on the brand new moon. Easy sufficient, proper?

Unsuitable.

If it has been some time since your highschool astronomy class, this is a reminder of what the phases of the moon appear like:

Getty Pictures/iStockphoto

Again in Mohammed’s day, in sixth-century Arabia, astronomical calculations weren’t as exact as they’re immediately, so individuals glided by what they may see with the bare eye.

For the reason that new moon is not truly tremendous seen within the evening sky (as you may see above), Muslims historically waited to start out fasting till the small sliver of crescent moon turned seen. There’s even a saying attributed to the Prophet Mohammed about ready to start out the quick till you see the crescent. (Some individuals suppose that is why the star and crescent is the image of Islam, however the crescent was used as an emblem lengthy earlier than Islam.)

This technique was a bit messy, although, since issues like clouds or simply the problem of recognizing the moon in some places typically led to completely different teams beginning their quick on separate days, even inside the identical nation. Every group, village, and even mosque inside the village may ship its personal man out to search for the crescent, with rival teams arguing over whether or not the opposite man actually noticed it.

In the present day, nevertheless, we have now exact scientific calculations that inform us precisely when the brand new moon begins, and we need not wait till somebody spots a tiny crescent within the sky. (The truth is, in response to the Oxford Dictionary of Islam, “The necessity to decide the exact look of the hilal [crescent moon] was one of many inducements for Muslim students to check astronomy.”)

So downside solved! Besides that some Muslim students imagine we should always nonetheless wait till the slight crescent moon is seen within the evening sky as a result of that is what Mohammed stated to do and that is the best way we have all the time completed it.

Others argue that Islam has a powerful custom of cause, data, and science, and that if Mohammed had been round immediately, he’d select the extra exact scientific calculations over sending the man on the mosque with one of the best eyesight exterior to squint on the evening sky.

To make issues much more enjoyable, some argue that the entire world ought to simply comply with the official moon-sighting decrees of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and the situation of its holiest websites.

However not everybody thinks that is such a swell thought — particularly rival international locations like Pakistan and Iran, which balk on the thought of treating Saudi Arabia as the final word authority on something having to do with Islam.

7) Are there variations between how Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims observe Ramadan?

For essentially the most half, no. Each Sunni and Shia Muslims quick throughout Ramadan. However there are some minor variations — for example, Sunnis break their day by day quick at sundown, when the solar is now not seen on the horizon (however there’s nonetheless gentle within the sky), whereas Shia wait till the redness of the setting solar has fully vanished and the sky is completely darkish.

Shia additionally have a good time an extra vacation inside the month of Ramadan that Sunnis don’t. For 3 days — the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first days of Ramadan — Shia commemorate the martyrdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed who was each the revered fourth caliph of Sunni Islam and the primary “authentic” imam (chief) of Shia Islam.

Ali was assassinated within the fierce civil wars that erupted following the dying of Mohammed over who ought to lead the Muslim group in his stead. On the nineteenth day of the month of Ramadan, whereas Ali was worshipping at a mosque in Kufa, Iraq, an murderer from a gaggle of rebels who opposed his management fatally struck him with a poisoned sword. Ali died two days later.

Ali is a massively essential determine in Shia Islam. His tomb in close by Najaf, Iraq, is the third-holiest website in Shia Islam, and tens of millions of Shia make a pilgrimage there yearly. Though Sunnis revere Ali as one of many 4 “rightly guided” caliphs who dominated after Mohammed’s dying, they don’t commemorate his dying or make a pilgrimage to his tomb.

Antonio Sempere/Europa Press through Getty Pictures

8) What can I do to be respectful of my Muslim pals throughout Ramadan?

In some Muslim international locations, it’s a crime to eat and drink in public through the day within the month of Ramadan, even in the event you’re not Muslim.

In fact, this isn’t the case in the US, the place we get pleasure from freedom of (and freedom from) faith. And most American Muslims, myself included, do not count on the non-Muslims round us to transform their habits to accommodate our non secular quick throughout Ramadan.

I’ve had pals and coworkers who’ve chosen to quick together with me out of solidarity (or simply as a result of it appears “enjoyable”), and that was candy of them, nevertheless it’s not one thing I ever count on individuals to do. (Plus, they normally final about three days earlier than they resolve solidarity is overrated and being thirsty for 15 hours will not be remotely “enjoyable.”)

All that stated, there are issues you are able to do, and never do, to make issues just a little simpler for pals or colleagues who occur to be fasting for Ramadan. In the event you share an workplace with somebody fasting, possibly eat your scrumptious, juicy cheeseburger within the workplace break room reasonably than at your desk, the place your poor, struggling Muslim coworkers must odor it and salivate (in the event that they even have sufficient moisture left of their our bodies to salivate at that time).

Attempt to bear in mind to not provide them a chew or a sip of what you are consuming, as a result of it is typically exhausting for us to keep in mind that we’re fasting and simple to absentmindedly settle for and eat that Lay’s potato chip you simply supplied us. However in the event you do, it is okay. We’re not going to get mad or be offended (until you are doing it on objective, through which case, what’s mistaken with you?).

In the event you’re having a cocktail party and also you wish to invite your Muslim pals, attempt to schedule it after sundown to allow them to eat. Muslims do not drink alcohol or eat pork, however we normally do not thoughts being round it. (Opposite to common perception, we’re not fearful of or allergic to pork; we simply do not eat it. It isn’t like we’re vampires and pork is garlic.) However do tell us if there’s alcohol or pork in one thing so we do not unintentionally eat it.

If you wish to want your Muslim pals or acquaintances a contented Ramadan or glad Eid al-Fitr, you are welcome to simply say, “Completely happy Ramadan!” or “Completely happy Eid!” That is not offensive or something. However if you wish to present them you made an effort to study extra about their faith, the usual greetings are “Ramadan/Eid kareem” (which implies “have a beneficiant Ramadan/Eid”) or “Ramadan/Eid mubarak” (which implies “have a blessed Ramadan/Eid”).

Even one thing so simple as studying a kind of expressions and saying it with a smile to your Muslim pals will go a good distance towards making them really feel snug and welcome.

9) So in the event you’re not alleged to get indignant or complain or gossip throughout Ramadan, how come terror assaults by teams like ISIS and al-Qaeda typically spike throughout Ramadan?

As a result of terrorists are assholes.

Replace, March 7, 2024, 3 pm ET: This story was initially revealed in 2017, and has been up to date with new dates and to take away outdated references.