For Muslims, this is the lunar month of Ramadan in which we fast and pray to our God (Allah). Ramadan both starts and ends on the New Moon – when the moon is barely a sliver in the sky. This year, Ramadan is celebrated from Monday, April 12, 2021 through Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
Many world religions follow a lunar calendar, including Lunar New Year in Asian cultures. In addition, the Jewish religion’s holiday of Passover occurs on the 15th day in the lunar month of Nisan.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day. They wake up at dawn to eat their only meal of the day and say their first prayer called Fajar. The daily fast is broken when the sun sets and the fourth prayer, Maghrib, is said. Most people open their fast with a date as legend says that it is the first thing the Prophet Muhammad ate when he broke his fast.
Sehri is the name of the first meal at dawn and breaking the fast at sundown is called iftar. During iftar, families enjoy delicious foods and conversation with each other.
The day after Ramadan ends is called as Eid ul Fitr, which means “Festival of Breaking the Fast” in Arabic and Urdu. On Eid, everyone wears new or washed clothes, prepares and eats delicious food and gathers with their families. Children often get Eidi (money) from their elders; usually a new dollar bill. The night before Eid, my cousins and I get henna done on our hands and prepare our clothes for Eid. We also give each other cards and games to play.
I love Ramadan because it gives us time for our family and our religion.
Happy Ramadan (Ramadan Mubarak) and a Happy Eid (Eid Mubarak)!
Resources
When is Ramadan 2021?
The meaning of iftar and sehri
Video by Aqsa Tasleem.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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