Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,which lasts 29 or 30 days starts by the sighting of crescent moon / new moon and is the month in which the first verses of Qur'an was revealed to prophet, Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him).
It is the Islamic month of fasting, and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to allah. Fasting in this month is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month is spent fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset.Muslims fast and offer more prayer than usual and believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of allah to humankind.
At sunset, the family will gather the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar. The meal starts with the eating of dates — just as Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to do. Then it's time for the Maghrib prayer, which is the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served.
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds.Purity of both thoughts and actions is important. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control,sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity (Zakat).
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Most Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz', of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month.
Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are to slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and allah through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others.
Ramadan is a particularly blessed time to give in charity, as the reward is 70 times greater than any other time of the year. Muslims spend more in charity, and many pay their zakat during Ramadan
Laylat al-Qadr:Sometimes referred to as "the night of decree or measures", is considered the most holy night of the year.Muslims believe that Laylat al-Qadr is the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him). Also, it is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th.
Muslims often pray extra prayers on these days, particularly the night prayer. They awake and pray and perform tilawat (reading the Qur'an).
Those who can afford to devote their time in the remembrance of allah stay in the mosque for the final ten days of Ramadan. This worship is called I'tikāf (retreat). They observe fast during the day and occupy themselves with the remembrance of allah, performing voluntary prayers and studying the Qur'an, day and night, apart from the obligatory prayers . Devoting time to remember allah, also hope to receive divine favors and blessings with the blessed night.
The first day of the next month, Shawwal, is spent in celebrations and is observed as the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or `Eid ul-Fitr.
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