Today Marks the End of Ramadan
Ramadan is the most sacred and spiritual time of the year for Muslims. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from food and water every day from dawn to sunset, giving them time to contemplate their relationship with God, to pray longer, tp increase their charity and generosity, and to study the Quran.
It’s also a very social month, where families and friends come together to laugh, share food and give back to their communities and those who are less fortunate.
The holy month of Ramadan began on Wednesday, March 22 and lasts 30 days, ending at sundown on Friday, April 21. During that month, over 2 billion Muslims around the world will take part in the celebration. And did you know? Islam is the third largest religion in the United States, with more than 3.45 million living here?
Ramadan closes tomorrow with the celebration called Eid al-Fitr- The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
Below, from USA for UNHCR, are a few ways that Ramadan is celebrated:
Prayer: Pray, visit mosques and read verses of the Quran (some people read the whole Quran from cover to cover during this month).
Fasting: During the daylight hours of Ramadan, all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink.
Sahur (pre-dawn meal): Wake up early for “Sahur” to eat a power meal before fasting begins.
Iftar: The breaking of the fast at sundown – typically by gathering with family, friends and neighbors for large feasts.
Charity: Give money, food and time to people in need, including refugees and those displaced by war and persecution.
And of course, many refugees and displaced families also celebrate Ramadan, though they do so while being separated from those they love, from their communities, and from their homes. “While Ramadan is a time for celebration, for refugees, it is bittersweet as it is a reminder of a life that was lost,” says USA for UNHCR. They go on to say that, “Nearly 60 percent of all refugees and forcibly displaced people globally are from Muslim-majority countries – millions will be celebrating the holy month while facing poverty, hardship and uncertainty.”
If you would like to help protect refugees as they close out their celebration of Ramadan, please click here.
Thank you.
PS: How former refugees celebrate Ramadan.
(information via USA for UNHCR and above photo by Hamzeh Al-Momani)
