About Ramadan: What, When and Why?

The month of Ramadan is one of the most eagerly awaited Muslims throughout the world. In the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world do not eat and drink all day. In addition, they also avoid things that can cancel fasting such as semen coming out of contact with the skin, entry of objects into the body's holes, and others. So, what is Ramadan? How long is the fast of Ramadan? Why fast? When is Ramadan fasting prescribed? Anything that breaks fasting? And what are the virtues of the month of Ramadan?

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Hijriyah calendar, the Muslim calendar which uses the moon's circulation as a reference. Healthy adult Muslim or Muslim women who are not in the midst of sharia are required to perform fasting in the month of Ramadan from Fajr until sunset. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims wake up in the morning - before the time to pray Fajr - to eat sahur. Then they fast all day. When the sun had set, they broke their fast. It is sweetened with sweet food. Not only fasting, Muslims also carry out other services during the month of Ramadan such as reading the Qur'an, tarawih prayer, the Koran, and others. For Muslims, Ramadan is the holy month. They are competing to do good and beneficial things during the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was revealed in the holy month of Ramadan. How long is the fast of Ramadan? The days in the Hijri calendar are usually 29 or 30 days. Depending on when the new moon (crescent which marks the beginning of the month of Hijriyah) seen or not. If the moon is not seen on the night of the 29th day, then Ramadan will last for 30 full days. Meanwhile, if the new moon is seen, then Ramadan fasting is only 29 days. There are actually two methods or methods commonly used by Muslims to determine the beginning and end of Ramadan, namely rukyatul hilal (activity of observing the visibility of the new moon) and reckoning (mathematical and astronomical calculations to determine the position of the moon). The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Religion uses both methods to determine the beginning and end of Ramadan. According to the Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, the two methods complement each other. Not to be confronted. Muslims in Indonesia and several other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and others began to carry out the Ramadan fasting 1440 H on Monday, May 6, 2019. Why fast? Ramadan fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Adults who are mature, healthy and have no barriers are required to fast Ramadan. That obligation has been confirmed by Allah in the QS. Surat al-Baqarah verse 183: O you who believe, are required for you to worship fasting, as required for those before you, so that you become pious people ... Fasting is also seen as a way to learn about patience, stopping bad habits and solidarity with those who cannot. When is Ramadan fasting required? Refer to the book Reading the Sirah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. in the Highlights of the Qur'an and Sahih Hadith (M Quraish Shihab, 2018), fasting for a whole month during the month of Ramadan is prescribed or required by God since the 2nd century Hijriyah. This was in line with the decline in QS revelations. al-Baqarah verse 183, as mentioned above. Before the Ramadan fasting prescribed, the Prophet Muhammad. and Muslims have also carried out fasting. Among them is fasting for three days a month. Anything that breaks fasting? There are eight things that can break a person's fast, as explained in the book Fathul Qarib. Namely the entry of something into the body hole - mouth, ears, nose, and others - intentionally, treat by inserting objects (drugs or other objects) in one of two ways (qubul and rectum), and vomiting intentionally. In addition, semen comes out due to skin contact, menstruation or childbirth, crazy, and apostasy can also cancel a person's fasting. What are the virtues of the month of Ramadan? The month of Ramadan has many features. Among them are the sins of the past are forgiven, the gates of heaven are opened, the gates of hell are closed, and the devil is shackled, when the prayer is answered, the moon falls in the night of a thousand months (lailatul qadr), and the inhabitants of hell are freed. In addition, the virtue of the month of Ramadan is also the prayer of fasting people are granted, get the same reward when giving to open fasting people, get rewards such as pilgrimage for those who are Umrah during Ramadan, and so forth.

Source: https://www.nu.or.id