My 1st Ramadan(fasting month)!!!!

Pretty excited that it's nearing... 3 more days!!!

Actually it is not my first time experience on fasting. last year, before my decision to convert, i tried it out, in the month of Ramadan,together with the rest of the muslims around the world. i wanted to get a feel of it and to see if my system could take up the challenge or not. my mentor keep reminding me that if i couldnt take it, i could stop the fast anytime and i should not pressure myself since there's no rewards or sins inflicted should i wish to discontinue the act of fasting. i told him not to worry,i'll be fine. (= and i actually kept my 'fasting act' under wraps from my colleagues. so during lunch i would still go out but i went to the park nearby and waited for the time to fast. so i carried radio la, books la, slips of paper containing some prayer notes. and boy, during ramadan, it was especially an extremely sunny afternoon! and amazingly, i completed 29 days of fasting. God bless! Praise be to Him! but i couldnt get to complete the islamic celebration of Eid Al-Fitr because i'm not a full-fledged muslim yet. at least i got some consolation from a friend because she wished me 'selamat hari raya puasa'.

a brief introduction for non-muslims:
Ramadan is the ninth month of the islamic lunar calendar. the islamic lunar calendar months are only 29 or 30 days long. an islamic month begins with the sighting of the new crescent in the western horizon,immediately after sunset. muslims look toward the western horizon for the new moon the the 29th day of Sha'ban, the eighth month. if the new moon is sighted, Ramadan has begun with the sunset but fasting begins with the next dawn. if the new moon is not sighted on this 29th day, Muslims complete 30days of Sha'ban and Ramadan begins the following day.

God says in the Quran:
" O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed fo ryou, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain God-consciousness. (2:183)
"In the month of Ramadan the Quran was revealed, a book of guidance with proofs of guidance distinguishing right from wrong. therefore whoever of you is present in that month let him fast. but who is ill or on a journey shall fast a similar number of days later on. Allah desires your well being, not your discomfort. He desires you to fast the whole month so that you may magnify Him and render thanks to Him for giving you His guidance." (2:185)

Fasting begins with dawn and ends with sunset. muslims rise before dawn, eat a pre-dawn meal (sahur) and drink liquids for the preparation of fasting.eating and drinking stops at dawn. during the day no eating, drinking or sexual activity is allowed. in addition, a muslim must also adhere to the moral code of islam very strictly as failure violates the requirements of fasting. of course, women who are having their menstrual period or who have not fully recovered from childbirth can make up for the days in other months. muslims fast because God has commanded them to do so. for muslims, the benefits of fasting include developing control over hunger, thirst and secual urges, training to be a good moral person and a test of our sincerity to the Creator. but of course, muslims dont just be extremely good in this month, and bad in the next. muslims would try to be a good person all year round. we just wanna be extremely good so that we get extra blessings and hoping to get additional rewards in this month. so our fast will be broken immediately after sunset with dates and water. but of course, any lawful food or drink is allowed to break the fast.

afterwhich, we will perform our sunset prayer (Magrib) followed by a complete meal. after a brief rest, muslims go to the mosque to offer our night prayer(isyak) and then a special night prayer called terawih. during this prayer, a leader who is well versed in memorizing the Quran will lead the prayers. this will be performed everynight for 29 or 30days in the month of Ramadan. and traditionally, the 114 chapters was divinely divided into 30sections, will be read out every night.

Additionally, muslims are obliged to perform this material help called Sadaqat al-Fitr to the poor and the needy. this is usually given before the 'eid prayers' for the poor to prepare for the celebration. so every family and its member are required to donate a small amount of cash and its usually done by the head of the family. i was wondering where am i supposed to donate this money to... hmmm...

The end of the fasting month is celebrated on the first of Shawwal, the 10th month. on the day of Eid, people would wear their best clothes, and proceed to the place of Eid congregation while pronouncing 'takbir' (Allah is the greatest, there is no other gods but Allah and all praises belongs to Him). the leader that leads the prayer (imam) rises at the appointed time and delivers a sermon. after the sermon, muslims supplicate, greet, embrace and congratulate each other for the successful completion of Ramadan and ask Allah for the acceptance of their efforts in His obedience.

this clears the misconception that muslims celebrate 'new year' at this time of the year. i used to have this misconception before but not anymore now. (= i hope this short introduction of the purpose of fasting month (ramadan) proves useful information for people who wants to know about it but just don't have the opportunity to find out.