Ramadan: The month of charity and generosity

One of the many activities that characterise the month of Ramadan is the waking up at dawn by Muslims to eat to their satisfaction before the day begins.

A typical day of fasting, therefore, starts with Muslims getting up early, around 3 a.m. and sharing a meal called Sahur with family and neighbours before the fast begins at 5:10 a.m.

However, some prefer to get up as early as 1:00 a.m. to prepare their meal before breaking their fast at dawn.

This involves the preparation of various foods that might suit an individual or a family as a whole.

These may include all local dishes and beverages.

Food vendors who are not able to make their sales during the day within the period of Ramadan regain their losses at dawn as they sell their food to those fasting but cannot prepare their meals at home.

At dawn, the first of the five daily prayers, Fajr, is offered in congregation at various mosques.

Communal spirit during Ramadan

One aspect of the Ramadan fast that fascinates non-adherents is the beating of all kinds of objects, including cooking utensils and empty tins, especially in the early days of the fast.

The rationale is to announce the commencement of the fast and also alert Muslims who have not heard of the fast to get up and observe the Ramadan at dawn.

The practice used to be very common in all Muslim communities before the advent of mobile phones.

When mobile phones and  social media platforms were not part of our lives, the Muslim leader relied on the Muezzin and the youth to beat metal objects to wake up the adherents to observe this important religious obligation.

The practice is, however, still common in rural communities where these modern means of communication is still not widespread.

So young people in these communities wake up as early as1 a.m. to beat these objects to wake people up to observe the fast.

During the day

Throughout the day, Muslims are constantly bombarded with messages such as it is time for breakfast, snack and lunch.

Each time, Muslims remind themselves that they are fasting for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and seeking His mercy. 

Most Muslims resort to listening to and reading the Holy Quran as a way of diverting their attention from hunger.

Others devote their time to preaching to their neighbours and colleagues about the teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) and his ways during the holy month of Ramadan.

They then offer the second and third prayers during early and late afternoons respectively.

Breaking the fast 

One significant part of Ramadan is the breaking of the fast at sunset. 

The Prophet Mohammad (SAW) recommended that Muslims break the fast with date fruits, and further urged them to invite others to break the fast with them. These gatherings are called Iftar.

Just after breaking the fast and before dinner, Muslims offer the fourth of the five daily prayers, which is called the Maghrib.

 After dinner, Muslims again visit the mosque  to offer the Isha prayer, the last of the five daily prayers. The day ends with a special voluntary prayer, the Taraweeh, offered by the congregation where the Qur’an, is recited.

Night of Power

During the last 10 days of the month of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, also known as the Night of Power, is observed by all Muslims.

Here a special prayer session is offered in congregation from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. of the last 10 days of the holy month.

During these ‘nights’, Muslims believe that Allah  blesses everyone and forgives all sins, accepts all prayers and the angels come down. 

Various mosques within the Muslim community are filled to capacity to the extent that others offer to stand outside the mosque, whether cold or rainy, to receive their blessings and thank Allah for His mercies.

Muslims also believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the ‘night’ where the Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Allah.

The Quran is, therefore, read from the beginning till the end during the last 10 days of the fast.

This year’s Night of Power ended at dawn today because the fast ends tomorrow for the Eid-ul-Fitr to be observed on Monday.

Benefits of fasting

To a Muslim, fasting does not only mean abstaining from food and sex but also refraining from all vices and evils committed consciously or unconsciously. 

It is believed that if a Muslim volunteers to abstain from food and sex, they will be in a better position to avoid unlawful things and acts during the rest of the year.

It is also believed that a reward earned during the month of Ramadan for every good deed is multiplied 70 times and more. 

For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity, as Muslims go out of their way to help the needy, financially, in kind and emotionally.