What Happens After Ramadan
After the fasting, comes the feasting.
Ending a month of fasting, Muslims celebrate with a three-day festival called Eid al-Fitr, or Festival of Breaking the Fast, and wish each other “Eid Mubarak” meaning: “Have a blessed Eid”.
During Eid, Muslims have family, friends and neighbours over, indulging them in a feast and eating traditional foods only made during this time.
“My favourite thing about Ramadan is breaking fast together and celebrating Eid at the end of the month,” Zathia said.
“We get to wear cultural clothing, exchange gifts and be around family.”
Benefits Of Fasting The Holy Month
Fasting Ramadan improves spiritual and physical health. The main purpose of fasting the holy month is to attain righteousness. Some other benefits include strengthening the believers’ relationship with their Creator , having self-reflection and appreciation of Allah’s blessings, remembering and helping the people in need, and learning self-control. Many Muslim individuals also consider this holy month a great opportunity to make healthy changes to their lifestyles because it is, if practiced correctly, an annual training in appetite control and having a balanced diet, which can help in losing weight. In addition, Ramadan can be an ideal time for many individuals to quit smoking, an action that breaks fasting and a habit that is prohibited in Islam according to the vast majority of Muslim scholars, with the need of continuous support after Ramadan to prevent relapse.
Why Do Muslims Fast During Ramadan
The practice is intended to help teach Muslims self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity, the BBC says. Its common to have one meal just before sunrise and another directly after sunset. Writing in The Independent, Arifa Akbar says when she was a Muslim child growing up in the UK, non-Muslims used to warn her that fasting was unhealthy. Now, she writes, fasting seems to have been reinvented as the ancients saw it a way of giving the body a rest, cleansing both physically and spiritually, and a way of sharpening our collective sense of self-restraint.
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What Is Allowed And Not Allowed During Ramadan
During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, angry/sarcastic retorts, gossip, and are meant to try to get along with each other better than normal. All obscene and irreligious stimuli are to be avoided as the purity of both thought and action is important.
Eating, drinking, and sexual activities are not allowed between dawn , and sunset . Fasting is considered an act of deeply personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God.
Here are some actions that are permissible to do while fasting, which will not nullify the fast. For example: Taking a shower. rinsing the mouth and nose, applying eyeliner or eye drops. taking injections, taking suppositories, accidental consumption, tasting food with the tongue, breathing in different scents, kissing and embracing one’s spouse, drawing blood, being in a state of janaabah,…
Ramadan And Fasting : The Dilemma
Ramadan is not a set calendar date. It comes early every year by ten days. The result is that recently, it has fallen within one of the hottest months of the year. In the coastal resorts, many Turks work in restaurants and this is one of the busiest months when they will cater for hundreds of hungry tourists that are eager to consume English breakfasts, hamburgers for lunch and juicy steaks for dinner.
This is not the winter months when the hours of daylight are shorter and very few tourists trickle through the door of the restaurant. This is different, the stakes are higher and the goal posts have moved.
Workers have the choice to abstain, offering money to charities instead as a penance for not completing the fast. However most will attempt to fast, because they have done it every year since the transformation from a boy to a man, or a girl to a woman. The ability to undergo this test of strength is firmly ingrained into their characters and lifestyle.
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Does It Have Benefits
The Warrior Diet does not have any research to back up its exact methods, but intermittent fasting does.
Though the Warrior Diet is a bit more extreme than other, more common types of intermittent fasting like the 16:8 method , its simply a stricter version of this method.
For this reason, one could argue that the benefits linked to intermittent fasting also apply to the Warrior Diet.
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When Does Ramadan Start
This year, Ramadan started on the evening of Monday, April 12.
The Islamic holy month is always held on the 9th month of the Islamic Lunar calendar.
Since the calendar depends on the moon cycle, Ramadan falls about 11 days earlier each year.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk yes, even water.
When the sun sets, there is a communal meal called Iftar where you break your fast, usually with your family or friends.
But the month of Ramadan is about more than just fasting.
You are also encouraged to do good deeds such as charity, and abstain from sinful acts such as gossip.
Its also a month of self-reflection and a way for Muslims to develop positive habits that can be brought forward once Ramadan is over.
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When Does It End
The month of fasting culminates with the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month. The date is determined by the first confirmed sighting of the new moon and there is often controversy about when it starts, with different countries observing it on different days.
The festivities begin with early morning prayers and breakfast, followed by a day of feasting with friends and family. Many Muslims don their best clothes to celebrate eating their first daylight meal in a month and give thanks to Allah for giving them strength and self-control. Gifts are often exchanged and homes are decorated to mark one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. But it is also a time of reflection, forgiveness, and altruism. We should remember that Eid is really a time to remember Allah and to feel the joy that comes to us once we meet obligations toward Him, says Mission Islam. If you participate in the fasting, the celebration becomes even more meaningful!
Ramadan In Earth Orbit
Muslim astronauts in space schedule religious practices around the time zone of their last location on Earth. For example, this means an astronaut from Malaysia launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida would center their fast according to sunrise and sunset in Florida’s Eastern Time. This includes times for daily prayers, as well as sunset and sunrise for Ramadan.
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How Does Fasting Work
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars or duties of Islam, along with the testimony of faith, prayer, charitable giving, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims are required to take part every year, though there are special dispensations for those who are ill, pregnant or nursing, menstruating, or traveling, and for young children and the elderly.
The practice of fasting serves several spiritual and social purposes: to remind you of your human frailty and your dependence on God for sustenance, to show you what it feels like to be hungry and thirsty so you feel compassion for the poor and needy, and to reduce the distractions in life so you can more clearly focus on your relationship with God.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating any food, drinking any liquids, smoking cigarettes, and engaging in any sexual activity, from dawn to sunset. That includes taking medication . Chewing gum is also prohibited .
Doing any of those things “invalidates” your fast for the day, and you just start over the next day. To make up for days you didn’t fast, you can either fast later in the year or provide a meal to a needy person for each day you missed.
What Does The Qu’ran Say About Ramadan
The Quran presents fasting as the continuation of a tradition that was prescribed to those who came before Muhammad to Jews and Christians, according to Ziad.
The Qur’an reads:
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that perhaps you may be reverent.The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an is sent forth as a guidance for humanity and clear portents of the guidance, and the Criterion between right and wrong. So whosever of you bears witness to the month, then formal fasting And when my servants ask you about Me , then truly I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls to Me.
Qur’an :183-186)
and The Sublime Quran )
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Are There Any Tips For Fasting During Ramadan
The NHS has a section on its website full of tips for staying healthy during Ramadan. It suggests eating at least two meals a day the pre-dawn suhoor meal and iftar at dusk and including complex carbohydrates that help release energy slowly. This includes foods such as wheat, oats, lentils and basmati rice.
High-fat and high-sugar foods are not recommended. The NHS suggests baked samosas, boiled dumplings, grilled meat and milk-based puddings as good alternatives to less-healthy fried food.
Dr. Razeen Mahroof, an anesthetist from Oxford, says: Ramadan isnt always thought of as being an opportunity to lose weight because the spiritual aspect is emphasized more generally than the health aspect. However, its a great chance to get the physical benefits as well. Nevertheless, Mahroof says a balanced diet is needed, with the right proportion of carbs, fat, and protein, in order to see any benefits.
Last year, also released a web portal that included timetables for sunset and sunrise, as well as videos, maps for local restaurants and useful Ramadan apps.
Intermittent Fasting Can Be Hard But Maybe It Doesnt Have To Be
Initial human studies that compared fasting every other day to eating less every day showed that both worked about equally for weight loss, though people struggled with the fasting days. So, I had written off IF as no better or worse than simply eating less, only far more uncomfortable. My advice was to just stick with the sensible, , diet.
New research is suggesting that not all IF approaches are the same, and some are actually very reasonable, effective, and sustainable, especially when combined with a nutritious plant-based diet. So Im prepared to take my lumps on this one .
We have evolved to be in sync with the day/night cycle, i.e., a circadian rhythm. Our metabolism has adapted to daytime food, nighttime sleep. Nighttime eating is well associated with a higher risk of obesity, as well as .
Based on this, researchers from the University of Alabama conducted a study with a small group of obese men with prediabetes. They compared a form of intermittent fasting called early time-restricted feeding, where all meals were fit into an early eight-hour period of the day ,or spread out over 12 hours . Both groups maintained their weight but after five weeks, the eight-hours group had dramatically lower insulin levels and significantly improved insulin sensitivity, as well as significantly lower blood pressure. The best part? The eight-hours group also had significantly decreased appetite. They werent starving.
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What Is Happening Today
To start off the celebrations, special prayers will be taking place across many areas in the UK including outside spaces such as Platt Fields Park and mosques.
Manchester Evening News has reported that thousands of people have gathered at Platt Fields Park in a massive turnout.
Eid is one of two major holidays celebrated by Muslims all over the globe, because of this it holds a lot of importance for observers.
Eid prayers traditionally begin at sunset on the night the crescent moon is first sighted.
But many mosques will offer to do Eid prayers the following morning.
Once prayers are finished, Muslims will visit their relatives and friends to wish them a happy Eid and often exchange gifts or sweets.
What Do Muslims Avoid During Ramadan
Throughout the Ramadan period, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual intimacy during the hours of fasting which last from sunrise to sunset.
Smoking and chewing gum are also avoided as the fast asks for abstinence from any sort of consumption.
Charity Rights Sajad Mahmood, says: chewing gum is prohibited during fasting hours, as it contains sugars, which are ingested when chewed.
Even consuming water is off the cards.
Observers are also discouraged from engaging in immoral or bad habits like swearing.
Mahmood explained the purpose of this abstinence period, saying: The aim of Ramadan is to help set you up with good habits for the rest of the year so you are stronger spiritually and mentally than you were before.
He added: As Ramadan is an extremely holy month in which the word of God, Allah, was revealed via the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed, Muslims are also expected to refrain from other acts to allow their focus to be solely on strengthening their spirituality and reading the word of God through the Holy Quran.
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Whats Ramadan All About
The name Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ramida or ar-ramad, denoting intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. From the same word there is ramdaa, meaning sunbaked sand and the famous proverb kal mustajeer minar ramadaa binnar to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Some say it is so called because Ramadan scorches out the sins with good deeds, as the sun burns the ground.
Ramadan brings out a special feeling of emotional excitement and religious zeal among Muslims of all ages. Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders. Children look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families. Adults appreciate the opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community, all feel a particular closeness towards their Creator and amongst their family and friends.
Muslims must adapt themselves both physically and emotionally during these 30 long days of fasting. A typical day of fasting begins with getting up early, around 4:30 a.m. and sharing a meal called sahur together before the fast begins at dawn, about 5:10 a.m. As dawn breaks, Fajr, the first of five daily prayers is offered.
What Can I Do To Be Respectful Of My Muslim Friends During Ramadan
In some Muslim countries, it is a crime to eat and drink in public during the day in the month of Ramadan, even if you’re not Muslim.
Of course, this is not the case in the United States, where we enjoy freedom of religion. And most American Muslims, myself included, don’t expect the non-Muslims around us to radically change their behavior to accommodate our religious fast during Ramadan.
I’ve had friends and coworkers who have chosen to fast along with me out of solidarity , and that was sweet of them, but it’s not something I ever expect people to do.
All that said, there are things you can do, and not do, to make things a little easier for friends or colleagues who happen to be fasting for Ramadan. If you share an office with someone fasting, maybe eat your delicious, juicy cheeseburger in the office break room rather than at your desk, where your poor, suffering Muslim coworkers will have to smell it and salivate .
Try to remember not to offer them a bite or a sip of what you’re eating, because it’s sometimes hard for us to remember that we’re fasting and easy to absentmindedly accept and eat that Lay’s potato chip you just offered us. But if you do, it’s okay. We’re not going to get mad or be offended .
Even something as simple as learning one of those expressions and saying it with a smile to your Muslim friends will go a long way toward making them feel comfortable and welcome.
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Do Muslims Fast During Ramadan
Observing Ramadan each year is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Fasting from dawn to sunset is required for all adult Muslims, with some exceptions for age, illness or other medical conditions.
During Ramadan, Muslims observing the daily fast being with a meal before dawn called the suhur, then end each day with an evening meal after sundown called the iftar.
In addition to fasting, Muslims also pray and recite the Quran during Ramadan.
What Is Eid Al
The end of Ramadan is a celebration known as Eid al-Fitr, one of the major holidays for Muslims. Families and friends get together, and there is a special communal prayer to mark the end of Ramadan. People often dress up in traditional clothing and eat traditional foods.
Traditional foods depend on the region in which Ramadan is being celebrate. According to Halifax Public Libraries, maamoul is a shortbread cookie eaten in Syria and Lebanon, made from dates, pistachios or walnuts. Bolani is a thin-crusted bread with a vegetable filling traditionally eaten in Afghanistan. Tufahija, a dessert composed of poached apples drenched in sugar and stuffed with walnut, is enjoyed by Bosnians.
“It’s a celebration that that that brings families and friends together to be happy that they completed the month of fasting,” Ziad said.
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