Ramadan: A Month of Reflection, Awaking, and Renewal-II (original) (raw)
Related papers
On the Philosophy of Ramadan : The Month of Guidance and Harmony
It was the month of Ramadān in which the Qur'ān was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him]. (2:185). The greatest tribute to Ramadan, as the Quran itself makes it clear, in the above quoted verse, is that it was in the month that God revealed the Quran. And the Quran is all about the the guidance and the clear signs for such guidance; and it is also the Furqan, the standrad by which to distinguish the true from the false. And making the time of the beginning of the revelation more specific, the Quran elsewhere, in 97:1, talks about the revelation of the Quran on the Night of Destiny, which, as so many extremely authetic traditions of the Propher (pbuh) make it clear, was on one of the odd nights during the last ten days of Ramadan. The Night of the Night of Destiny subsumes, perthaps all the blessings of the Ramadan in one night, and indeed, it is presented by the Quran better than a thousand months, thus opening the gates of God's mercy, forgiveness and harmony in a limitless way. Ramadan's significance is very funamental in the Islamic discourse; first, fasting prescribed in the month is part of the very five-pillars of Islam, as its third pillar. And second, it has a far reaching connotation, as it is inextricably conncted with the very revelation of the word of God, the Quran itself. In other words, Ramadan fasting, more than any other forms of worship, is intimately related to the very revelation of the Quran, as the above quoted verse cleary indicates. Or to put it simply, Ramadan is the month of the Quran and the guidance and harmony offered by God through the Quran to all people. If a beliver truly tries to benefit from the mercy that Ramadan carries with it, nothing short of the eternal succes that Ramadan can ensure, it is this truth that famous Hadith alludes, as it recaptures God's words through the words of the Prophet (pbuh), as reported by Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah " ...fasting is for Me and I shall reward it. " And also, the later part of the Hadith clarifies the same truth, as it offers the two ecstatic occasions of inexplicable pleasure and reward for the believer. First, at the very moment, as he breaks the fast, after the long hours of self-humbling abstinance; and second, as he enters the paradise and meets his creator, an experince in its fulness that nobody's imagination in this world, however higtened, can recapture. And in our present world, one of the reflections of God's mercy in Ramadan, as some of the authentic traditions talks about the chaining of the devils, opening the gates of heaven.
Ramadan: A Month of Reflection, Awaking, and Renewal -I
Ramadan is everywhere: Muslims all over the globe are welcoming and observing this holy month. Ramadan has been changing and transforming individuals, families and societies alike. So, let us look at and try to understand the meaning of this special time. "Ramadan" is an Arabic word, which literally means "parched thirst" and "sun-baked ground." It expresses the hunger and thirst felt by those Muslims around the world who spend the daylight hours of this month in a complete. As opposed to other holidays-when people often indulge-Ramadan, by definition therefore, is a time of sacrifice and reflection on the meaning of that sacrifice and bounties given us by Allah. This pious reflection leads to a spiritual awakening and renewal. Therefore, it is a time for inner reflection, devotion to Allah, altruism, and self-control. We Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for our spiritual and physical well-being. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The entire cycle takes around 35 years. In this way, the length of the day, and thus the fasting period, varies in length from place to place over the years. Every Muslim, no matter where he or she lives, will see an average Ramadan day of approximately 13.5 hours. From Dawn to Dusk The daily period of fasting begins with the breaking of dawn (an hour before sunrise) and ends with the setting of the sun. In between-that is, during the daylight hours-Muslims completely abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset. If you fail to wake up and consequently miss the pre-fast meal, you will fast for nearly 24 hours. Children do not observe the fast during their fragile growing years. However, young people at the beginning of puberty are required to. Parents train their children over a few years, beginning when they are about six years old, to fast, from the observation of half days at the beginning to complete days later on.
RAMADAN AND IT IMPORTANT IN ISLAM
This paper seeks to explicit the important of Ramadan. Ramadan is a special month for a million of Muslim around the world. It begins at the first sight of the new moon of a nine month of the Muslim calendar. During Ramadan, many Muslims fast by no eating or drinking from sun rise to sun set. Muslim gets up before doon and have a meal call SUHOOR and they wouldn't eat again until sunset. Then they will break their fast usually with date or water and a meal called IFTAR. Muslim believes that fasting help them understand the need of poor and those without food. This paper conclude that Muslim come close to Allah/God by asking for forgiveness, praying and giving out charity.
Ramadan Fasting and its Health Benefits: What’s New?
Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Fasting entails more than abstaining from food and drink, fasting improves impulse control and aids in the development of good behavior. The holy month of Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the lunar calendar. Ramadan is a month-long fasting period that takes place between dawn and sunset. Some people with diabetes and those who are sick or have certain medical conditions may be exempt. The majority of people with diabetes, on the other hand, choose to fast; even against medical advice. Many studies have been conducted to determine the health benefits of fasting. Apart from the benefits to the body’s organs, Ramadan fasting is also beneficial for the growth of the gut microbiota and gene expression and is believed to impact the body’s autophagy process. Furthermore, Ramadan fasting has an impact on mental health; TC and LDL were lower, while HDL and TG were higher, lowers inflammation, and oxidative stress markers.
The Beneficial Effects of Ramadan Fasting from the Medical and Sociocultural Perspectives
Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 2021
Despite the abundant treatise and resource materials on Ramadan fasting, questions still arise regarding the benefits of this annual religious ritual. In an attempt to lend credence to the medical benefits of Ramadan, an academic adventure was undertaken, entailing the principles of Ramadan fasting and its effects on Muslims in terms of health and sickness. The findings of the studies on the health implications of Ramadan fasting and other similar prolonged dietary restrictions in human participants and animal models were reviewed and discussed. This review also catalogued the main contributions of fasting to the human health and physiological wellbeing of experimental subjects. In addition, our study considered religious limitations, as well as the side-effects and health hazards of some ailments that could pose a threat to Muslims, vis-a-vis their observance of Ramadan fasting. Some of the conditions that are inimical to the physiological status of human participants include cardi...
The implications of Ramadan fasting for human health and well-being
Journal of Sports Sciences, 2012
Islamic Ramadan is a 29–30 day fast in which food, fluids, medications, drugs and smoking are prohibited during the daylight hours which can be extended between 13 and 18 h · day−1 depending on the geographical location and season. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings lie in the amount of daily time of fasting, number of subjects who smoke, take oral medications, and/or receive intravenous fluids, in the type of food and eating habits and in changes in lifestyle. During Ramadan fasting, glucose homeostasis is maintained by meals taken during night time before dawn and by liver glycogen stores. Changes in serum lipids are variable and depend on the quality and quantity of food intake, physical activity and exercise, and changes in body weight. Compliant, well-controlled type II diabetics may observe Ramadan fasting, but fasting is not recommended for type I, noncompliant, poorly controlled and pregnant diabetics. There are no adverse effects of Ramadan fasting on respiratory and cardiovascular systems, haematologic profile, endocrine, and neuropsychiatric functions. Conclusions: Although Ramadan fasting is safe for all healthy individuals, those with various diseases should consult their physicians and follow medical and scientific recommendations.
this ia a paper that I composed regarding the principles, rules and merits of fasting the month of Ramadan