Impact on world
To make You understand the bigger picture: this month is also a month when You should cut down on Your sins, e.g. no swearing. But what is actually for the world more important is that it should be also month of peace! Several hostages and prisoners have been released, in various places around the world that bleed daily negotiations have been started or at least ceasefire was agreed…
Customs
What it means for “normal” people is that the daily timeschedule quite drastically changes. The last food/drink can be only before sunrise and after sunset. In our house 6 people from 5 different countries (Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Singapure, cote d ivore) follow this tradition.
It means that two of them (according to schedule) wake up at 3:30 and prepare breakfast (ever noticed that its “break” and “fast”, as its a break in fasting?) called sehri for all of them. Than in the evening is aftar, which is hold as a dinner common for all people. The reason for this is that Ramzan is also the time when each Muslim should share with everybody…
Effect on daily life of non-muslim
- This also means that all shops and offices start earlier and finish earlier and some even cut down on number of working hours.
- Its also not possible to buy food other than in grocery stores (those few open). Eating, drinking, smoking or even singing on public can be taken as insult.
- If You live with a Muslim, know that s/he wakes up at max 4am and goes back to sleep at 5am.
- Get ready that the streets are often deserted and during evening prayer times You live in a city of ghosts with the voice of Mullah coming from all sides.
History
The history of Ramzan is as old as Islam itself. Ramadan is the name of 9th month of Muslim calendar, the word itself means “burn” and is older than the custom.
This is the month during which God made the first revelations of Koran to Prophet Muhammad, thus time when His words came on earth. Its the month when the fate of world for the next year is decided, the gates of Heaven are open and gates of Hell are closed and on the other side, His followers must pray, fast and do good in order to show their obedience…
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