Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, begins 10–12 days earlier each year, allowing it to fall in every season throughout a 33-year cycle and is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, spiritual reflection, and unity. This annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam and will be celebrated from April 2 to May 2 this year.
HISTORY OF RAMADAN
To understand how Ramadan became such an important part of Islam, we need to go back to the very beginning — 610 A.D., to be precise. This is the year during which an Arabian man by the name of Muhammad was meditating in the cave of Hira, located in the Jabal an-Nour mountain close to Mecca. While he was meditating, Muhammad was visited by the angel Jibril who revealed the first words of what later came to be known as the Qur’an. The angel told Muhammad that those words came directly from Allah and that He is the one and only God. At that time in Arabia, it was common for people to worship several different gods, but the angel told Muhammad that Allah is the only true God.
After revealing the words of God, the angel commanded that Muhammad recite what he had just been shown. Muhammad couldn’t read or write at that time, but he was able to recite the words perfectly. It was then explained to Muhammad that he was the last of the prophets who Allah had sent to spread the teachings of the religion of Islam.
The night the Prophet Muhammad first saw the angel Jibril is known as Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power). Many Muslims believe this night occurred on the 27th night of the lunar year (which is what the Islamic calendar is based on), though some believe it occurred on any of the other odd nights in the final 10 days of the month.
Credit: National Today
