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News Item: Ramadan (Lebaran) begins October 4th
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| Ramadan (Lebaran) begins October 4th | 03 Aug 2005 |
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The annual month of Islamic daytime fasting begins this year on October 4th, and extends to November 2nd (some say third). The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. The first crescent appears, according to the Boy Scout mnemonic, "with the light on the right". The moon passes through its phases, and just before it goes invisible with the following new moon, it is a crescent on the left. This is the symbol used my Muslims to adorn their mosques. Because the Islamic calendar has no correction for the fact that the lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons. * 2005 – First day: October 4, 2005; last day: November 2 (or November 3, if possible), 2005 * 2006 – First day: September 17, 2006; last day October 16 (or October 17, if possible), 2006 Some Mullahs use direct observation to determine the start and end of this, the ninth lunar month. For this reason, there may be regional differences in the precise start of the fast. Other Muslims allow that the start of the month can be determined by astronomical calculations, and the US Navel Observatory's published forecast is often used. The local mosque is often the final authority. Sometimes a Muslim in the US will follow one schedule in order to fit in with the local congregation, although his or her family in another part of the world will be shifted by a couple of days. Eating, smoking, drinking and sexual relationships are prohibited during Ramadan, along with refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, and backbiting. This is evidenced by the Indonesian custom of asking for forgiveness for any harms done during the year. The prohibitions only extend during daylight hours. Traditionally this begins at dawn from the moment a white line can be seen at the horizon and ends at sunset, when the sun's disk sinks below the local horizon. These times are known as Fajr and Maghrib, respectively. Another fabled test, possibly apocryphal, is to hold two threads, one white, one black, at arm's length. When you can tell them apart, the prohibitions apply. In Indonesia, sirens sound at the appropriate time of day, to remind the faithful of this fasting opportunity. Some people do not need to observe Ramadan, though they may if they wish: * Children before the onset of puberty * Soldiers on the battlefield * Travelers, the weak, elderly, and sick * Pregnant women, if they feel it might endanger their child * Menstruating women, or those who are breastfeeding babies The fast can bring the benefits one could expect from such a discipline: patience and self-control, mastery of passions and temper, and it provides time for meditation and to strengthen one's faith. The fast also reminds of the less fortunate in the world, and is seen as a debt owed by the believer to God. Observance is believed to atone for personal faults and misdeeds, at least in part, and to help earn a place in paradise. In modern practice, the day's fast is followed by joyful meals with friends and relatives, often extending late into the evening. The pious insist on moderation, however. In any event, too lenghty celebration is not advised, because one must rise early to attend to 5:00 am prayers, eat a quick breakfast, and begin the fast, all before daylight. In the US, some congregations provide breakfast at the mosque during the fasting month. Many mosques will sponsor iftar (break the fast) meals after sundown for the community to come and end their day's fasting as a whole. At the termination of the great fast of Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated. In Indonesia, animals may be sacrificed, and the meat distributed to the poor. The first two weeks or so of fasting can be quite energizing. Week three and four tend to drag. Work schedules are often modified and duties lightened to accommodate those who fast. Some nations fast for a week of so after Eid ul-Fitr to gain extra spiritual benefit. (This article included material from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan) Rick Lehtinen |
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