Ramadan: History, other things you need to know

Another year, another moment of self-assessment, and that’s why Ramadan 2022 is another period of a spiritual odyssey. Muslims have testified that their holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) had a revelation of a holy book through God’s archangel, Jibril (Gabriel). This was the Quran. Notably, the book was revealed during the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar, and as instructed by God Almighty, all Muslims who have attained maturity must observe this fasting throughout this special month. But then, have you ever wondered how it all began—the origin story behind Ramadan and why Muslims fast? This piece will tell you more about these matters.

Table of Content hide 1History of Ramadan 2How long is Ramadan? 3Those exempted from Ramadan fasting 4Reward for fasting in Ramadan 5Punishment for intentionally breaking Ramadan fasting 6The last ten days of Ramadan 7Conclusion

History of Ramadan

To understand its history, we need to turn back the hands of time to the epoch Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) received the call of Allah (God) and embarked on a mission to understand the One behind everything. On a timely basis, he would visit a particular cave called “Hira” near Mecca. When Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) was forty years old before he received the prophethood, he received the divine revelation where God’s angel, Gabriel, came to earth to relay God’s message to him. This incident occurred on 27th Ramadan.

And thus, Imam Al-Bukhari, a collector of the Prophet’s message, stated that this was how it was recounted:
“The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, ‘I do not know how to read’. The Prophet added, ‘The angel caught me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, “I do not know how to read”.

Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, but again I replied, “I do not know how to read” (or what shall I read?). Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said: “Read, in the name of Your Lord, who created, created man from a clot. Read! And Your Lord is the most bountiful”.

Because the book of Allah was revealed in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims are urged to use this period to return to their Lord and the path of righteousness. The month is also called the “Month of Holy Fasting”. It is a period of spiritual starvation, i.e. abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual activities.

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How long is Ramadan?

The month of Ramadan has either 29 or 30 days. It comes just once in a year, and its bounties are unfathomable. It is said to be a time of moral reflection and rejuvenation. According to Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him), every act of worship done in the month of Ramadan is rewarded in magnanimous folds. So, Ramadan was made mandatory all over the Muslim nation as it was a decree from God Almighty. However, Muslims are the only people on earth who celebrate Ramadan. People from different faiths observe their own kind of fasting, but it is not referred to as Ramadan fasting.

Those exempted from Ramadan fasting

Any mature Muslim, be they male or female, must fast in this sacred month. Based on its injunctions, this fasting is not compulsory for children. But when a child is growing up and attains the age of 7-10, they can be encouraged to fast to get used to it.

A woman experiencing menses is expected to take a break from fasting and then payback after the entire fasting. Being in a menstrual state means a woman is impure, and it isn’t permissible to carry out either Five daily prayers or fasting.

Also, a temporarily sick person can postpone the fasting due to his poor health but will pay back after returning to a sound state of health. On the other hand, a critically ill person, like ulcerated patients, can feed the less privileged or needy throughout the days that they wouldn’t fast.

Furthermore, a person whose sanity is unstable, i.e. a madman, is exempted from fasting because God understands his condition since he is unfit to fast. And lastly, a weak, aged person who can’t withstand the pangs of hunger is also allowed to feed needy people.

Reward for fasting in Ramadan

Just as stated, a lot of benefits come from Ramadan. Even the Prophet said, “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of earning reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven, and whoever stays up during Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of earning reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

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Punishment for intentionally breaking Ramadan fasting

In Ramadan, any mature person who deliberately breaks his fast will face the sanctions of Kaffara (expiation). The Kaffara for those who deliberately break their fast without reasonable excuse or refused to fast shall fast for 60 continuous days. And refusal to do so shall incur the wrath of God on the Day of Reckoning.

The last ten days of Ramadan

The last ten days of Ramadan are a time to increase the acts of worship. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) mentioned that the previous ten days are called “Laylatul-Qadr”, which literarily means “The Night of Destiny”. According to him, on this hallowed night, God Almighty descends to see those servants of His that are steadfast. It is believed that this night holds the answers to any form of prayer one extends to God. Muslims are encouraged to wake from their sleep to tell God about their favours.

Conclusion

Ramadan is a period of spiritual growth. It’s a month that encourages Muslims across the world to intensify their good deeds because God has a special assessment for the acts of mankind.

Above all, as it is known to be the month that the holy book (Quran) was revealed, Muslims should also frequently read this divine scripture in order to connect better with the words of God Almighty. It is a book that contains everything one needs to know about the religion of Islam.

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