Ramadan Mubarak!

This is the greeting Muslims say to one another at the beginning of Ramadan the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan begins approximately sep 13th subject to sighting of the moon. A month we should anticipate for the blessings we have in store and one we dont want to see the back of because of the blessings we would be deprived of.

I thought i would run few a things about ramadan for those of you unfamiliar with it, as it can be confusing if u dont know. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk(sunrise to sunset) each day for 29-30 days during Ramadan. Children and certain people, such as the elderly, ill, mentally ill, pregnant would be exempt from fasting and would have to make up the fast by feeding a poor person.

Some good things about ramadan:
1.Its a month of spiritual searching, spiritual growth and a test of patience, perseverance and willpower, it also brings Muslims together, as people invite you to their homes to break the fast, spiritual talks and acts of worship and kindness taking place randomly and people generally in good spirits. As everyone is fasting , you are not going through it alone, so you can empathise with others.
2. i can do without food but i get really thirsty when i fast making me long for the day to end so i can have a glass of water followed by a nice cup of tea!!
3.Many mosques recite the qur'an during the evening (usually one chapter a day) so its a good opportunity to hear it being recited from start to finish by someone who has a good recitation. At my local mosque four young lads (13-16) will be taking it in turns to recite the qur'an and to lead the congregation in prayer, reciting long verses of the Qur'an which they have memorised , a daunting task but an extremely rewarding one if you ask me, restores my faith in the Muslim youth.
4. The Eid prayer is performed at the mosque on Eid day, one of the rare times i visit the mosque to pray, its such a good atmosphere with strangers hugging you and wishing you an Eid Mubarak and performing the prayer should be the highlight of the day.

Now I will go through some things that annoy me during ramadan:

1. certain people are exempt from fasting as mentioned above, this includes women who are on their menstrual cycle, so its annoying . embarassing and unnecessary when a man asks a woman why she isn't fasting as she may have a valid reason, people also give you dirty looks as they think you cant be bothered to fast!

2. When people dont go to their local mosque to pray all year and suddenly turn up every day during ramadan. Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick calls these people Abdur Ramadan ( they sin all year and then fast and pray trying to do a whole years worship in 30 days!) Women who are normally plastered in make up with their hair out start wearing hijab and removing their makeup during Ramadan (indicating that they think God only sees what they do during Ramadan, or maybe they think they will get some special reward!!)

3. the kids drive you crazy when you are fasting, if you go to an Islamic school, some of them let the kids have holidays during Ramadan, im so glad that hasnt happened with my sons!

4. Excessive eating when the fast opens,Usually we feel so hungry that we tend to overeat, and also eat heavy things for breakfast thinking this will last you all day! eventually people put more weight on over ramadan than they do over the year!!

5When the mosque you attend celebrates Eid on one day and the mosque up the road celebrates Eid the day before/after! there should be one day only not 2 Days!!! and you wonder whay non-muslims laugh at us and tell us we cant even agree on the day of Eid let alone global national and local issues!!

6. shopping for kids presents - the day after ramadan ends in Eid ul Fitr , many Muslims will visit the mosque and our family buys presents for the children - and we get new clothes to wear which is wasting a lot of time and money.

7. When women come to the mosque to pray the Eid prayer covered in make up with revealing clothes! defeats the purpose of worship.

8. When Muslims tell non-Muslims that they fast to remember how the poor must feel. Although that is one aspect i suppose, its not the reason. Fasting is an act of worship done by a person solely for the sake of God and to gain his pleasure, quite simply, you could say you are fasting to your family and go in another room and stuff yourself silly with food, nobody may have saw you but God is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Fasting should bring yourself closer to God as ultimately  it should be done for Him.