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The beginning of the month of Rajab in the month of Rajab. Pre-holiday night of Ramadan

In 2017, the holy month of Ramadan will last from the evening of May 26 to the evening of June 24 and will end with the onset of the month of Shawal with the holiday of breaking the fast.

The month of Ramadan is the most... important period a year for Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad allegedly once said that when Ramadan begins, the gates of heaven open and the gates of hell close, and all the devils are immobilized with chains during this time. According to the beliefs of the religion, it was during this month that God revealed the first verses of the Quran to Muhammad. It happened on the night known as the “Night of Power.” During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. This is a time to strengthen spiritual discipline - deep reflection on one's relationship with God, additional prayers, charity and generosity, and intensive study of the Qur'an. However, not everything is so boring, because Ramadan is also a time for celebration and joy, a time spent with loved ones. A large three-day holiday called the "Festival of Breaking the Fast" ends the month and is sort of the "Muslim version of Christmas" in the sense that it is a religious holiday during which people gather with relatives and friends around a large table and exchange gifts.

Muslims fast during Ramadan

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam along with witnessing faith, prayer, charity and pilgrimage to Mecca. Of course, there are some relaxations of the rules for the sick, pregnant or nursing, for travelers, small children and the elderly.

Fasting in Ramadan has several spiritual and social purposes:

remind people of human weakness and dependence on God;
feel compassion for the poor and needy;
reduce the weight of distractions so that a person can focus on his relationship with God.

Ramadan means abstaining from eating food and any liquids, smoking cigarettes, and engaging in any sexual activity from sunrise to sunset. Chewing gum is also prohibited. If you fail, this day does not count. Each missed day of fasting must either be “caught up” later or fed to a needy person.

Early in the morning, long before dawn, Muslims wake up to have breakfast, and in fact, to eat for the whole day. Therefore, they need to eat high protein foods and drink as much as possible more water until the sun rises. Then will follow morning prayer, after which many return to bed to sleep a little more. However, no one has canceled work and study, so everyone is fulfilling their responsibilities in this regard as well. holy month. True, in many Muslim countries, enterprises and educational institutions reduce their working hours.

Before evening prayer, for which many go to the mosque, followers of Muhammad can eat again. However, this is not a hearty dinner with several courses, but a light snack. Only after prayer do families get together and have dinner before going to bed, and early in the morning everything starts all over again.

Why do Ramadan dates change every year?

In matters of religion, Muslims use the lunar calendar, the 12 months of which give a total of approximately 354 days. It is precisely because of the discrepancy between the number of days and the Gregorian calendar that Ramadan is the 9th lunar month- moves back about 11 days every year. This factor significantly influences the course of the celebration: when Ramadan falls on winter time, fasting is much easier, since the days are short and you don’t have to endure hunger for a long time. In addition, due to the air temperature, the ban on drinking water is easier to bear.

What's interesting is that in some European countries(Iceland, Norway, Sweden) fasting can last about 20 hours a day in summer time. For Muslims in the Arctic Circle, where the sun practically never sets below the horizon in summer, it is permissible to fast according to the time frame of the nearest Muslim country or Saudi Arabia. By the way, in 2017, Ramadan will last from May 27 to June 25.

How do Sunnis and Shiites celebrate Ramadan?

The celebration of the holy month is practically no different between Sunnis and Shiites. However, there are some nuances: for example, Sunnis end their daily fast when the sun has already hidden behind the horizon, while Shiites wait until it is completely dark.

How should followers of other religions behave during Ramadan?

In some Muslim countries, eating food in public places It is a crime to do so during Ramadan, even if you are not a Muslim. Even if you do not live in such a country, out of a sense of solidarity, you can “fast” in the presence of friends or colleagues from the Muslim religion. At the same time, no one is stopping you from eating a delicious-smelling cheeseburger, for example, in the break room. Try to forget for a while about your politeness and do not offer those observing the fast to “take a bite.” The same goes for parties: if you are going to invite Muslim friends, try to organize events after sunset so that they can feel at ease. In addition, congratulating them on such an important holiday for them will never be superfluous, but it will show how important these people are to you and how much you care about them.

The month of Ramadan (Ramadan) is one of the most revered among Muslims and requires strict fasting. Ramadan begins in the ninth month of Muslim lunar calendar.

Ramadan is part of the lunar calendar and is considered to begin with the appearance of the moon. Lunar calendar is 11 days shorter Gregorian calendar, so every year Ramadan begins 11 days earlier than the previous year.

When does fasting in Ramadan begin and end?

According to astronomical calculations, in 2018, the first day of Muslim fasting in the month of Ramadan will fall on May 16 and will last until June 14.

In some Muslim countries, the first day of Ramadan is determined by astronomical calculations, and in others, by direct observation of the Moon or the testimony of authoritative Muslim theologians. Islam allows both possibilities, and therefore the start date of the religious holiday is different countries may vary.

How to fast in Ramadan

Fasting (Uraza) in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam - so important that Muslims believe: for those who did not manage to make up for the missed days of fasting before their death, their guardian (or descendants) must compensate, for they have an unpaid debt. To Allah. Fasting allows every Muslim to strengthen his faith and self-discipline, strictly following the orders of Allah.

From dawn to sunset, the fasting person abstains from all types of breaking the fast (eating, drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse, etc.) and strives to preserve his tongue from foul language, and his soul from unclean thoughts.

At sunset, Muslims break their fast. The evening ritual of breaking the fast is called iftar; The evening breaking of the fast is a blessed time, so they try to invite relatives, close friends and neighbors to it, and it is believed that a Muslim who organizes a treat can count on forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven. Often a mullah is invited to iftar.

In many countries, iftar is served in mosques and is prepared by the believers themselves so that they can enjoy the treats together.

Only pregnant and lactating women, seriously ill people, children, people who are engaged in hard work or are on the road at this time, and soldiers who participate in hostilities are allowed not to fast during Ramadan. However, these reasons do not completely exempt them from fasting; it will need to be observed at another time.

Muslims around the world prepare for Ramadan long before its onset: women stock up on food and groceries, men are busy buying gifts to celebrate the holiday.

During Ramadan, Muslims devote most of time to read the Koran and remember Allah (dhikr). In addition to the daily five prayers, every night of fasting an additional prayer-namaz (tarawih) is performed after the fifth prayer.

Muslims believe that Allah can forgive a person's sins if he spends time reading prayers and doing godly deeds, such as helping those in need and donating funds to charity. According to legend, Allah also frees a certain number of souls of the dead from hell.

During Ramadan, Muslims are required to generously give sadaqa (voluntary donations) and zakat (obligatory charity). Sadaqah does not necessarily mean giving money. This can be a good deed - for example, helping a neighbor - an act that a believer does in the name of Allah, thus not expecting reward from the person he helped.

It is the duty of every Muslim to make a small contribution, called Zakat-ul-Fitr, before the end of Ramadan. The money collected goes to the poorest and most needy so that they, along with everyone else, can take part in the celebrations of breaking the fast of Eid al-Fitr. Most Muslims give zakat generously during Ramadan because they believe that the reward for it increases during this month.

The first ten days of the month personify the acceptance of the mercy of the Almighty, the second - cleansing from sin, and the third marks salvation from Gehenna.

The night of the 27th is considered especially important in the month of Ramadan - “Laylat al-qadr” (“night of power” or “night of predestination”), when Allah decides the fate of people.

The last ten days of Ramadan are the holiest, so Muslims are even more diligent in their acts of worship. These days, many men perform itikaf (spiritual retreat), spending this time in the mosque.

Completion of Ramadan

The end of Ramadan and fasting is marked by the second most important Muslim holiday - Eid al-Fitr (translated from Arabic as the holiday of breaking the fast; in Turkic - Eid al-Adha), which begins at sunset on the last day of Ramadan and continues on the 1st and 2nd the 1st day of the next month of Shawwal.

It begins with reading a prayer-namaz under the guidance of an imam. After completing the prayer, the imam asks Allah to accept the fast, forgive sins and give prosperity. Next, they begin a festive meal and distribute alms to the poor, and also visit the graves of their ancestors. Joint prayers and sermons are often followed by various festivities: children take part in games, sweets are distributed to everyone, theater performs on the streets, and songs and joyful cries are heard everywhere.

During Ramadan in Muslim countries, business activity noticeably decreases, working hours decrease, and religious sentiments intensify; everyday life shifts to evening and night time.

The material is compiled from open sources.

Ramadan is the ninth month after Islamic calendar, into which it was sent down Holy Quran. This year it began on the evening of May 25 at sunset, and the fast began on the morning of May 26 and will end on the evening of June 24, 2017 (1438 according to the lunar calendar).

For Muslims, this is a holy month of fasting and spiritual purification; it is the most important and significant of all periods of the year. With the onset of Ramadan, every devout Muslim must begin fasting and also perform a series of necessary preparations and religious ceremonies. The meaning and essence of the post Holy fast- one of the five pillars of Islam, which must be mandatory be observed from morning prayer until evening. In Islam, this type of worship has the goal of bringing believers closer to Allah. When the Prophet Muhammad was asked: “Which is the best deed?” He replied: “Fasting, for nothing compares to it.” Fasting is not only abstinence from food and drink, but also abstinence from sins, therefore the essence of fasting is to cleanse a person from vices and passions. Giving up vicious desires during the month of Ramadan helps a person to refrain from doing everything forbidden, which will subsequently lead him to purity of actions not only during fasting, but throughout his life.

So, the essence of Ramadan is the cultivation of piety in a person, which keeps a person from any indecent act.

The righteous believe that fasting, in addition to abstaining from food, drink and passion, also includes abstaining from all obscene parts of the body, since without this the fast will be ruined and the reward will be cancelled. Fasting also helps a person to control negative emotions and qualities, for example, anger, greed, hatred. The essence of fasting is that it helps a person fight the passions that overwhelm him and control his desires.

Ramadan in 2017 begins on May 26 at sunset and ends on June 25 in the evening, after which the holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Turkic name “Eid al-Adha”) will begin.

Ramadan, in different Muslim countries, may begin at different times, and this depends on the method of astronomical calculation or direct observation of the phases of the Moon.

How to fast

Fasting begins at dawn and ends after sunset. During the month of Ramadan, devout Muslims daytime refuse to eat. In Islam, there are two night meals: Suhur - pre-dawn and Iftar - evening. It is advisable to complete Suhoor at least half an hour before dawn, while Iftar should begin immediately after evening prayer.

According to the Koran, the best food for breaking the fast at night is water and dates. Skipping suhoor and iftar does not break the fast, but keeping these meals is rewarded with additional rewards.

Suhur

The importance of morning meals is demonstrated by the following words Prophet Muhammad: “Eat food before dawn on fasting days! Truly, in suhoor is God’s grace (barakat)!” Throughout Ramadan morning reception Muslims eat food before dawn. They believe that Allah will greatly reward such an action. During traditional Suhoor, you should not overeat, but you should eat enough food. Suhoor gives you strength for the whole day.

Iftar

The evening meal should begin immediately after sunset, that is, after the last prayer of the day (or the fourth, penultimate prayer of that day). After Iftar, Isha follows - the night prayer of Muslims (the last of the five obligatory daily prayers). It is not recommended to postpone iftar, as it will be bad for the body. So that in a few hours summer night do not overload your stomach and at the same time recharge your energy for a long hungry day; it is not recommended to immediately wash down your food with water, diluting the gastric juice. You need to drink about an hour later, when you feel thirsty.

What you can and cannot eat during Ramadan

During Suhoor, doctors recommend eating complex carbohydrates - cereal dishes, sprouted grain bread, vegetable salad. Complex carbohydrates provide the body with energy, despite the fact that they take a long time to digest. Also suitable are dried fruits - dates, nuts - almonds and fruits - bananas. You should avoid protein foods in the morning - they take a long time to digest, but they load the liver, which works without interruption during fasting. You shouldn't drink coffee. In the morning you should not eat fried, smoked, fatty foods - they will cause extra stress on the liver and kidneys. In the morning you should also give up fish - after it you will want to drink.

During iftar, you can eat meat and vegetable dishes, cereal dishes, and a small amount of sweets, which can be replaced with dates or fruits. You need to drink a lot of water. You can also drink juice, fruit drink, compote, tea and jelly.

It is undesirable to eat fatty and fried foods in the evening. It will harm your health - cause heartburn, be deposited in extra pounds. You need to exclude foods from your evening meal instant cooking – various cereals in bags or noodles, as they will not fill you up and literally after an hour or two you will want to eat again. In addition, such products will increase your appetite even more, as they contain salt and other spices. It is better to exclude sausages from the diet during Ramadan fasting. Sausages affect the kidneys and liver, satisfy hunger for only a few hours, and can also develop thirst.

Children, sick people, pregnant and lactating women, travelers, warriors and old people who are physically unable to fast are exempt from Ramadan. But it is obligatory to replace the fast in another, more favorable period.

A month of patience and education of the spirit

Fasting is not only abstinence from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset, but also spiritual cleansing.

A Muslim who fasts during the month of Ramadan cultivates his spirit and learns to be patient by resisting base desires and renouncing bad words and actions. It is important to perform five times daily namaz (prayer) on time, which mainly consists of reciting verses of the Quran and praising God at the same time as adopting various postures.

The five periods of time in which worship should be performed correspond to the five parts of the day and the distribution various types human activity: dawn, noon, afternoon, end of day and night.

With the onset of Ramadan, it is customary for Muslims to congratulate each other in words or in the form of postcards, because this holiday is the moment of its birth. holy book The Koran, which plays a special role in the life of every believer.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which the Holy Quran was revealed, will begin on May 17 in 2018 in most Muslim countries.

For Muslims, this is a holy month of fasting and spiritual purification; it is the most important and significant of all periods of the year.

With the onset of Ramadan, every devout Muslim must begin fasting, as well as perform a number of necessary preparations and religious rituals.

The meaning and essence of the post

Holy fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which must be observed from morning prayer to evening prayer. In Islam, this type of worship has the goal of bringing believers closer to Allah. When the Prophet Muhammad was asked: “Which is the best deed?” He replied: “Fasting, for nothing compares to it.”

Fasting is not only abstinence from food and drink, but also abstinence from sins, therefore the essence of fasting is to cleanse a person from vices and passions. Giving up vicious desires during the month of Ramadan helps a person to refrain from doing everything forbidden, which will subsequently lead him to purity of actions not only during fasting, but throughout his life.

So, the essence of Ramadan is the cultivation of piety in a person, which keeps a person from any indecent act.

The righteous believe that fasting, in addition to abstaining from food, drink and passion, also includes abstinence of parts of the body from everything indecent, since without this the fast will be ruined and the reward will be cancelled.

Fasting also helps a person control negative emotions and qualities, such as anger, greed, and hatred. The essence of fasting is that it helps a person fight the passions that overwhelm him and control his desires.

Ramadan in 2018 begins on May 17 at sunset and ends on June 15 in the evening, after which the holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Turkic name "Eid al-Adha") begins.

Ramadan, in different Muslim countries, can begin at different times, and this depends on the method of astronomical calculation or direct observation of the phases of the moon.

How to fast

Fasting begins at dawn and ends after sunset. During the month of Ramadan, devout Muslims refuse to eat food during the daytime.

In Islam, there are two night meals: Suhur - pre-dawn and Iftar - evening. It is advisable to complete Suhur at least half an hour before dawn, while Iftar should begin immediately after evening prayer.

According to the Koran, the best food for breaking the fast at night is water and dates. Skipping Suhoor and Iftar does not break the fast, but keeping these meals is rewarded with additional rewards.

Suhur

The importance of the morning meal is evidenced by the following words of the Prophet Muhammad: “Take food before dawn on fasting days! Truly, in suhoor is God’s grace (barakat)!”

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims eat their morning meal before dawn. They believe that Allah will greatly reward such an action. During traditional Suhoor, you should not overeat, but you should eat enough food. Suhoor gives you strength for the whole day.

Iftar

The evening meal should begin immediately after sunset, that is, after the last prayer of the day (or the fourth, penultimate prayer of that day).

After Iftar, Isha follows - the night prayer of Muslims (the last of the five obligatory daily prayers). It is not recommended to postpone iftar, as it will be bad for the body.

In order not to overload your stomach during a few hours of a summer night and at the same time recharge yourself with energy for a long hungry day, it is not recommended to immediately wash down your food with water, diluting the gastric juice. You need to drink about an hour later, when you feel thirsty.

What you can and cannot eat during Ramadan

You should avoid protein foods in the morning - they take a long time to digest, but they load the liver, which works without interruption during fasting. You shouldn't drink coffee. In the morning, you should not eat fried, smoked, fatty foods - they will cause extra stress on the liver and kidneys. In the morning you should also give up fish - after it you will want to drink.

During Iftar you can eat meat and vegetable dish, cereal dishes, with a small amount of sweets that can be replaced with dates or fruits. You need to drink a lot of water. You can also drink juice, fruit drink, compote, tea and jelly.

It is not advisable to eat fatty and fried foods in the evening. It will harm your health - cause heartburn and put on extra pounds. You need to exclude fast food products from your evening meals - various packaged cereals or noodles, as they will not fill you up and in just an hour or two you will want to eat again. In addition, such products will increase your appetite even more, as they contain salt and other spices.

It is better to exclude sausages from the diet during Ramadan fasting. Sausages affect the kidneys and liver, satisfy hunger for only a few hours, and can also develop thirst.

A month of patience and education of the spirit

Fasting is not only abstinence from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset, but also spiritual cleansing. A Muslim who fasts during the month of Ramadan cultivates his spirit and learns to be patient by resisting base desires and renouncing bad words and actions.

It is important to perform five times daily namaz (prayer) on time, which mainly consists of reciting verses of the Quran and praising God at the same time as adopting various postures.

The five periods of time at which worship should be performed correspond to the five parts of the day and the distribution of various human activities: dawn, noon, afternoon, end of the day and night.

With the onset of Ramadan, it is customary for Muslims to congratulate each other in words or in the form of postcards, because this holiday is the moment of the birth of the holy book of the Koran, which plays a special role in the life of every believer.

The material was prepared based on open sources

Eid al-Fitr or the holiday of Breaking the Fast is the second most important great holiday For Muslims, which is held in honor of the end of the Ramadan fast, falls on June 16 in 2018.

The month of Ramadan, in which the Holy Quran was revealed, in 2018 began on May 17 at sunset and ends on June 15 in the evening.

On the last day of Ramadan, after sunset, the holiday of Breaking the Fast or Eid al-Fitr (in Arabic) begins - one of the most important events in Islam.

In different Muslim countries, Ramadan may begin at different times, depending on the method of astronomical calculation or direct observation of the phases of the moon.

Muslim calendar

Muslim chronology dates back to the migration (in Arabic hijra) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Yathrib, later called the city of the Prophet - Medina. According to Christian chronology, the resettlement took place in the summer of 622.

The basis of the Muslim calendar, according to which Muslims around the world live, is lunar year consisting of 12 months - it is 10 or 11 days less solar year, therefore the days of Muslim religious holidays Every year they shift relative to the Gregorian calendar.

A lunar month lasts 29 or 30 days. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar in 2018 and lasts 30 days. This is the holy month of fasting and spiritual purification among Muslims - the most important and significant of all periods of the year.

A month of fasting and spiritual purification

With the onset of Ramadan, every devout Muslim must begin fasting - one of the five pillars of Islam along with witnessing faith, prayer, almsgiving and pilgrimage. Fasting in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar was prescribed in 624, the second year of the Hijri.

During the month of Ramadan, devout Muslims refuse to eat food during the daytime, devoting it to spiritual and physical cleansing. Therefore, in Islam there are two night meals: Suhur - pre-dawn and Iftar - evening.

Muslims abstain not only from food and drink, but also from foul language and unclean thoughts. Their goal is to strengthen faith, rethink their way of life, move away from the forbidden, and identify true values for themselves. life values. The fast of one whose deeds and thoughts are unclean and not pleasing to God is considered invalid.

During the holy month, after the obligatory night prayer, the Taraweeh prayer is performed - a voluntary prayer that lasts until dawn. For its fulfillment, according to legend, a great reward from the Almighty follows.

Those who, for some reason, are exempt from fasting must feed the poor or help the needy every day, spending no less than the amount they spend on food per day.

The most important night of the year

In the holy month of Ramadan there is the night of Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power and Predestination - the most important night of the year for every Muslim. That night, the Archangel Jebrail came down to the praying Prophet Muhammad and gave him the Koran.

According to sources, Laylat al-Qadr is the night when angels descend to earth, and the prayer said on this night has much greater power than all the prayers of the year.

In the Koran, an entire sura “Inna anzalnagu” is dedicated to this Night, which says that the Night of Power is better than a thousand months in which it is not present.

This is the night when the fate of every person is predetermined in heaven, his life path, difficulties and trials that he has to go through, and if he spends this night in prayer, in understanding his actions and possible mistakes, then Allah will forgive him his sins and will be merciful.

Feast of Breaking the Fast

On the last day of Ramadan, after sunset, one of the great holidays begins - Eid al-Fitr. At this time, Muslims should indulge in reflection on spiritual values and rethinking life during the period of fasting.

This day is considered a holiday of salvation from hell, as well as a day of reconciliation, love and friendly handshakes. On this day, it is customary to visit the disadvantaged and care for the elderly.

The holiday begins at the time of evening prayer. At this time, it is advisable for all Muslims to read takbir (formula for exalting Allah). Takbir is read before performing holiday prayer on the day of the holiday. It is advisable to spend the night of the holiday in vigil, in all-night service to Allah.

On the day of the holiday, it is advisable to wear clean clothes, put a silver ring on your finger, perfume yourself with incense and, after eating a little, go to the mosque early to perform the holiday prayer.

On this day, they pay the obligatory zakat al-fitr or “alms of breaking the fast”, show joy, congratulate each other and wish the Almighty to accept fasting, visit relatives, neighbors, acquaintances, friends, and receive guests.

Eid al-Adha is closely intertwined with ideas of spiritual improvement and good deeds. During the celebration it is customary to perform good deeds, take care of relatives, show compassion for those in need.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.