Most beautiful month in the year

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month of the lunar calendar
Ramadan is a very special month for the Muslims, as in it Muslims around the world perform various types of worship, the most important of them being fasting. This fasting of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, mandatory upon all adolescents and adults who have the ability. Ramadan is also the month in which the first revelation came to the Prophet Muhammad, and thus is called the “Month of the Quran”. During this month, there is a noticeable change in people’s lives as well as societies. This article will describe a typical day of a Muslim during this month of forgiveness.


Fasting of the Day
In most Muslim countries, workload and schedules are lightened in order to accommodate for the special features of this month. Children go to school at a later time to accommodate for their early rise and the late night prayer, and the majority of businesses close well before dusk. Many stores also remain open throughout the night.
During daylight hours until the sun sets below the horizon.

Muslim abstain all types of food and drink, as well as sexual intercourse with their spouses. This creates a sense within the Muslim throughout the day that they are obeying the commands of God, as they leave things which are perfectly permissible at other times. This created within the Muslims a conscience which encourages them to leave those deeds impermissible at all times. Muslims, dry-mouthed from lack of water and abstaining from all types of food seen throughout the day, gain a sixth sense – God consciousness - and this is the goal of fasting the month of Ramadan. God says in the Quran:
“Fasting has been prescribed for you as it has been prescribed for those before you in order that you become of the God-conscious.” (Quran 2:183)


Fasting is a secret worship which a person offers to God. He may very well eat and drink in privacy without anyone coming to know of it… but the trait which keeps the Muslim from doing so is this consciousness of His Lord.
For this reason, one sees that many sinful Muslims as well leave many of their sins during this blessed month, due to its sacredness, and one hopes that this will cause them to be more faithful throughout the remainder of the year.
The Prophet warned Muslims against certain sins they might easily fall into and thus ruin the goal of fasting. The Prophet said:
“Whoever does not stop speaking falsehood and acting in accordance with it, God has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
He also warned against being provoked into behaving rudely. He encouraged Muslims to respond to one who may provoke him by saying:

“Indeed I am fasting, Indeed I am fasting.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
These Prophetic sayings are clear in that the main benefit of Ramadan is spiritual and moral rectitude.
Thus one finds in Muslim societies that a spirit of peace dwells in the hearts of Muslims throughout Ramadan, due to the extra worship and avoidance of all evilness and ill manners. One finds that people are generally more easy to deal with and lighthearted, and when one lives in a society for one month in which most of the people are fasting, the sense of unity and brotherhood which results is unmatched by any other occasion, except maybe the Hajj.


Iftar, or Breakfast
As the day ends, Muslims gather in their homes in wait for sunset. Mothers and daughters are usually busy at this time preparing breakfast and dinner, while men usually return from their work and slip into more comfortable clothes, either taking time to recite the Quran or help out in the preparation for breakfast. Before sunset, the family gathers at the dining table in wait for the mu’ezzin, utilizing this time supplicating to Allah and asking Him for His Mercy.
“Indeed for each fasting person there is a prayer which is answered when they break their fast.” (Tuhfat-ul-Muhtaj)
Once the call to prayer is heard, Muslims hurry to break their fast with dates, in emulation of the Prophet, and offer words of gratitude taught by the Prophet.
“The Thirst has been quenched, and the veins have become moist and full, and the reward is certain, God willing.” (Abu Dawood)


Many Muslims add:
“Oh Allah, indeed for You Alone I have fasted, and in You alone I have believed. With your provisions I have broken my fast, and upon You I have trusted.”
Muslims then eat a light meal of various appetizers and drinks. Many times, Muslims find themselves either invited or inviting others, whether they be members of the extended family, one’s friends, or the poor. The majority of mosques also offer free food in order ease the sufferings for the poor. May mosques hold iftar in order to strengthen community ties, common in countries in which Muslims are minorities. Prophet Muhammad encouraged to feed others during this blessed month in his saying:
“Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast, he will have a reward equal to his (the fasting person)…” (Al-Tirmidhi)
Special rations are also distributed to needy households in the beginning of the month by charitable organizations to meet the needs of the month.


The delight felt at breaking fast is one truly indescribable. Never does the most meager of meals seem so tasty or bring so much joy to a believer. Indeed the Prophet spoke the truth when he said:
“The fasting person will feel two moments of joy: one moment when he breaks his fast and another when he meets his Lord.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
There is no time at that point to eat a large meal, as sunset is the time for another prescribed prayer. Muslims prepare to attend the congregational prayer, mostly always at walking distance. After attending the dusk prayer, some Muslims eat dinner, while others delay eating until the night prayer is finished, an event which is one of the main features of the night of Ramadan, another spiritual dimension of this blessed month of mercy and blessings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prnOe5-uPZM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7VezcjXNec

I don't see the beauty in destroying your kidney by not drinking water during the heat. Also, as a child in the old country, I witnessed a man getting dragged out of his shop and flogged in public by this beautiful and sacred tradition. You would have thought he had stolen something, hit a woman, or something horrible like that but no, his crime was that he was hungry and he was caught with a piece of bread.

So please, keep your religion to yourself. This isn't the place for it as it has nothing to do with the Dream Act or immigration reform, unless you want to bring the 2001 attacks into it which screwed up immigration reform, but that's a whole different topic.

Mods: If you're going to delete my comment, please be fair and delete these random posts pushing religious beliefs, or better yet, leave them both up so we can have an honest discussion.

There is this story about an Egyptian whose Doctor prescribed to him some medication in order to prepare him before he gets operated on, to rid him off certain tumor in his stomach. When he realized that the medication would prevent him from fasting, which it was about to begin, he became so sad and then gave his trust to Allah by fasting, with the hope that Allah will cure him.

Lo and behold, a miracle happened! This man went back to his doctor after Ramadan and the doctor examined him and he realized that, the tumor that he supposed to operate him and removed was nowhere to be found, and he told him about it, and the man then revealed to the Doctor that, perhaps he was cured because he fasted, and the doctor admitted to him the medical advantages of fasting, confirming what the Qur'an says.
Consider the Eleven Basic Medical Benefits of Fasting

A medical expert, Dr. Cinque summarizes it all very well below:
1. Fasting promotes detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins.
2. Fasting gives the digestive system a much-needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and elimination are invigorated.

3. Fasting promotes the resolution of inflammatory processes, such as in rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Fasting quiets allergic reactions, including asthma and hay fever.
5. Fasting promotes the drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs and swelling in the abdomen.

6. Fasting corrects high blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will normalize blood pressure in the vast majority of cases, the blood pressure will remain low after the fast, if the person follows a health-supporting diet and lifestyle.

7. Fasting makes it easy to overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions. Fasting rapidly dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.

8. Fasting clears the skin and whitens the eyes. It is common to see skin eruptions clear while fasting, and the whites of the eyes never look so clear and bright as they do after fasting.
9. Fasting restores taste appreciation for wholesome natural foods. People say that their taste buds come alive after fasting and that food never tasted so good.

10. Fasting is the perfect gateway to a healthful diet and lifestyle. Going on a fast gives you the motivation and enthusiasm to make a fresh start.
11. Fasting initiates rapid weight loss with little or no hunger. Most people are surprised at how little desire for food they have while fasting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL9bkVKUuJQ

1. Stories are not facts.
2. There are no miracles - only probability and eventually, someone beats the odds.
3. Most people I know who fast don't have real jobs. They sit around the house all day watching TV, or maybe work in an air conditioned office. I'd love to see one of those imams with the beard and the glasses and the robes digging a ditch all day under the Texas sun and see how long they'll last without water.
4. This still has nothing to do with Immigration Reform nor the Dream Act.

I don't think this guy is real.

Muslim - Religion of piece and prosperity - lol

FYI The religion is Islam. But yeah, mods need to start moving posts like these to the other topics section.

Many of the Muslims all over the world— Muslims from Morocco to Afghanistan for the toughest Ramadan in more than three decades. No food or drink, not even a sip of water, for 14 hours a day during the hottest time of the year.

The test of self-restraint is made only harder by daily power cuts in some parts of the Muslim world such as Iraq, Pakistan and tiny Gaza.

With temperatures in the region routinely climbing above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and days at their longest of the year, governments are trying to alleviate the hardships of the monthlong sunrise-to-sunset fast. Morocco resets the clock so believers can break the fast an hour early. Pakistan promises to reduce daily blackouts, which can last up to 22 hours. Public servants are allowed to work fewer hours.

Despite the hardship, for many Muslims it's the most anticipated part of the year — a time of family togetherness and religious devotion, a break from routine. Muslims believe God revealed the first verses of their holy book, the Quran, to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan.

The Muslim lunar calendar moves back through the seasons, so Ramadan starts 11 days earlier each year under the Western calendar. The last time Ramadan started in mid-July was in 1980. Winter fasts are easier because of cooler temperatures and shorter days. This year, Ramadan starts in most parts of the Muslim world on Friday, though some mark the beginning on Saturday.

"There's no choice but to bear the heat," shrugged Jalal Qandil, 38, a sun-browned, sweating construction worker in Gaza City, father of five school-age children. "If I don't work, we won't eat this Ramadan. But God will help us."

Other laborers said they would quietly break their fast, trusting that God understands.

"Sometimes it's so hot, that we can't touch the metal poles on the scaffolding without gloves," said Munir, a 26-year-old Pakistani laborer in Dubai. "You cannot work in these conditions without water. I am religious and respect Ramadan, but it also is not intended to make you sick or put you in danger."

Many clerics say that's OK. Islam already gives exemptions from the fast for those in certain circumstances — the elderly, the sick, women who are pregnant, nursing or menstruating, children and travelers.

Religious authorities in the United Arab Emirates allow laborers to break their fast if the temperature exceeds 122 Fahrenheit (50 Celsius). Other Muslim scholars say, regardless of the temperature, laborers can break their fast if they feel weak or thirsty. They have to make up the days later, said Sheik Mohammed Ali, an Iraqi Shiite cleric.

"They should have the little food and drink that can make them able to work," he said.

Dr. Sarmad Hamid, a physician in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, said people should use common sense and stay out of the sun — and those who work outdoors, such as traffic police, should not be expected to fast.

Observing the fast is a particular challenge in Gaza, a tiny sliver of land between Israel and Egypt, ruled by the Islamic militant group Hamas. After years of strife and border blockades, Gaza is propped up by U.N. food aid and suffers daily hours-long blackouts.

Gazans have to make do without fans to cool sweltering, crowded apartments, without TVs to distract children and unemployed husbands, without ovens to cook and without water because the electric pumps are idle. As summer heat rises, some have taken to sleeping on floor tiles, the coolest part of their house.

Wassam Azaqeer, a Lebanese, who lives in a country surrounded by icebergs called “Greenland”, is the only Muslim in this state who is fasting daily for 21 hours with full determination.
Greenland is the largest island in the world; lies between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean; a self-governing province of Denmark.
According to an Arab TV report, Wassam Azaqeer, who is living in Greenland from the past several years and has been called “Arab Columbus” as he is the only Arab Muslim who not only managed to live in Greenland-despite the long and difficult journey, but also running a successful business in the capital city of Greenland called Nuuk.
Wassam, is running his own restaurant where he receives 200 customers each day.
The month of the Ramadan, this year, came in summer so Wassam has to fast for 21 hours and after Iftaar he only got 2 hours to prepare Suhur - the pre-dawn meal to start next fast.
In these 2 hours Wassam, also has to offer the Maghrib and Isha prayers.
Wassam says that he is very proud Muslim to be living on a state where he is the only one fasting and praying in the name of Allah.
He says he sometimes think about going to Lebanon in this holy month but he stops himself by thinking that if left Greenland, there wont be anyone to fast and pray on this land

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqS_lRsWMGE

that's nice, copy paste so that others can get pissed. lol

Just ignore this post. Freedom of religion ya'll. This is like the westboro baptist church.

Once of the reasons I came here was to get away from these extremists.