Understanding Ramadhan: A Day in the Life of an Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki

Understanding Ramadhan: A Day in the Life of an Imam

Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki shares his daily experience during the month of Ramadan, the Islamic Holy month of Fasting.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when Muslims across the world will fast from sunrise till sunset.

During Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the time when the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This time begins on the night the first verses were revealed, a night known as Lailut ul-Qadr ('The Night of Power') which falls within the last 10 days of the month.
The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing good deeds and spending time with family and friends. The fasting is intended to help teach Muslims self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity. It also reminds them of the suffering of the poor, who may rarely get to eat well.
Reading the Qur'an is an important part of Ramadan, and many Muslims will attempt to read the whole of the Qur'an at least once during the Ramadan period. Many will also attend special services in Mosques during which the Qur'an is read.

It is common to have one meal (known as the suhoor), just before sunrise and another (known as the iftar), directly after sunset. This meal will commonly consist of dates, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Because Ramadan is a time to spend with friends and family, the fast will often be broken by different Muslim families coming together to share in an evening meal.

At the end of the month, once fasting has been completed, a big celebration takes place known as 'Eid-ul-Fitr', the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. During this celebration Muslims dress in their finest clothes, give gifts to children and spend time with their friends and family. At Eid it is obligatory to give a set amount of money to charity to be used to help poor people buy new clothes and food so they too can celebrate.

Do all Muslims have to fast during Ramadan?

Certain people are exempt from taking part in the Ramadan fast. Children under the age of puberty, the sick, the mentally handicapped, the elderly and anyone who would be putting their health at serious risk by fasting are not obliged to do so during Ramadan. There are also certain circumstances where people normally able to fast are unable to, such as when people are on a tiring journey or if a woman is pregnant (if her or her babies life will be at risk), and in these instances the person must make up the fast at a later date, or provide meals to the needy in order to make up for breaking the fast.

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