The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is Ramadan, which is observed as a holy month by Muslims all over the world.
The crescent moon’s appearance marks both its beginning and conclusion. Ramadan starts 10–12 days earlier every year due to the Muslim calendar year being shorter than the Gregorian calendar year. This allows Ramadan to fall in every season over a 33-year cycle.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during this time, spending more time in prayer, introspection, and charitable deeds.
Ramadan is a time of reflection, group prayer (ṣalāt) in the mosque, and Holy Qurʾān recitation for Muslims. It is believed that those who assiduously observe fasting and prayer during this Holy month will have their past sins forgiven by Allah.
A fasting individual should refrain from going down the following:
In compliance with the Quranic verse, “Now therefore go unto them and seek what Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn be comes distinct from the black thread, then observe the fast till nightfall,” food, drink, and sexual relations are permitted from sunrise until sunset.
The white thread represents the light of day at dawn, and the black thread represents the darkness of the night.
Every Muslim is free to fulfill his desires for food, drink, and women during the night, but he is required to abstain until dusk.
It is strictly forbidden to smoke, use drugs, or inject nutrients like vitamins or calcium into the body.
After engaging in sexual activity, one must fully ablution—that is, take a bath that covers their entire body.
The Prophet prohibited the following activities for Muslims who are fasting:
(a) Lewd remarks. “You shall not indulge in obscene speech or boisterous talk while fasting,” the Prophet declared. Tell the person who is insulting you or arguing with you, “I fast.”
b) Speaking or acting falsely. The Prophet Muhammad stated: “He who does not abstain from false- hood in words or deeds, God has no need for him to abstain from his food and drink.”
c) Libel. The Prophet once walked by some ladies who were chatting while fasting.
He went on to say: “These two women abstained from what God had ordered them to do a indulged in what God had forbidden them to do” .
(d) Lying, lustful gaze, making up an oath, slander, and defamation. The Messenger of Allah stated: “Five things spoil a man’s fast – lying, slander, calumny, the false oath and the lustful look.”
According to some ulama, doing those forbidden things ruins one’s fast. The Prophet’s admonition that “five things spoil a man’s fast…etc.” and other previously mentioned ravings serve as the foundation for their conclusion. Additionally, they rely a specific quotation for their conclusion. The Prophet said :”there may be a man whose gain from his fast is confind to hunger and thirst”
It is crucial to remember that different people and communities may have different customs and interpretations, and religious experts may offer more thorough advice based on Islamic teachings.
