RAMADAN

The Blessed
Month of
Fasting
Time to purify and train
body and soul

A quick and easy summary on the meaning, purpose

and benefits of fasting in Islam.

A More On Islam Series Presentation.

A warm welcome to you!
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The month of Ramadan is around. We are

happy to present information on Ramadan
which, we hope, will prove to be useful source
of knowledge for you.

This, we expect, would help you to explore

more about Ramadan, appreciate the
significance of this blessed month.
Introduction
We hope that this presentation will make your
fasting purposeful and rewarding.

In another way, this is Ramadan gift for you.

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This presentation is a part of More on Islam presentation series. For other titles please contact moreonislam@hotmail.com
Ramadan – sacred month in the Islamic Calendar
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Islamic Calendar or the Hijri Calendar is based on the lunar year.

1 2 3
Muharram Safar Rabi al Awwal

4 5 6
Jumadi Jumadi at
Rabi at thani
al Awwal thani

7 8 9
Rajab Shaban Ramadan

10 11 12
Shawwal It is obligatory
Dhu al Qaidahon Muslims to fast in
Dhu al Hijjah

this month.

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Fasting means abstinence
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To stop eating and drinking

from dawn until dusk

X X Smoking is also prohibited during fasting !

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 Very natural,
People who are exempted from fasting very
5 considerate
religion

“… but whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he shall fast)

a Minors Aged*
(like) number of other Sick**ease for you,
days; Allah desires Traveler**
and He does not desire for you difficulty, and (He desires)
that you should complete the number and that you
should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you
and that you may give thanks.” -Quran- 2:185

Pregnant Suckling Menstruating Mentally

Women** Women** Women** Retarded

* Should donate a meal to the needy

5 * * Should fast an equivalent number of days afterwards
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Why fasting?
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The goal of fasting is to develop self-

restraint.
Holy Quran states: “O you who believe!
Fasting is prescribed to you as it was
prescribed to those before you, so that you
may develop Taqwa (self-restraint) ”
[2:183] Example: God says about Mary in the Qur’an that
she said: “Verily!, I have vowed a fast to the Most
Beneficent…[Maryam 19:26].

Taqwa is an Arabic word. It is the state of

What is Taqwa? heart that motivates virtuous (good) conduct
and prevents evil action.

Love of God + Fear of God leads to Taqwa (Self-restraint)

Taqwa is the ability to safe-guard.

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“A great blessed month…”
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Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
address on the eve of Ramadan:

“  People, a great blessed month has come upon you.

 Allah has made fasting during it an obligation, and steadfastly

observing its nights in worship a voluntary act.

 Whoever undertakes an act of obedience to Allah during this

month with a righteous deed, it is as if he has performed an
obligatory act at other times,

 and whoever performs an obligatory act during it is as one who

performed seventy obligations at other times.

 It is the month of patience, and the reward for patience is

Paradise.

7  It is the month of goodwill, during which provisions are multiplied.

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Ramadan Time-table: What does fasting involve?
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Eating before dawn

Special Prayers

Eating and
Eating and drinking
drinking forbidden
permitted Night Day

Special Prayers

Break fast

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Fasting and sins don’t go together
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Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allah be

upon him) said:
“ Allah has no need for the hunger and the thirst of the
person who does not stay away from telling lies and
acting on them even while observing fast.”

“ When one of you is fasting, He should stay away from

indecent acts and unnecessary talk, and if someone
begins an obscene conversation or tries to pick an
argument, he should simply tell him, ‘I am fasting.
”

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Annual training for character-building
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Ramadan provides an
annual training
opportunity that is Ramadan

meant to fulfil the

character-building
needs for the rest of the
year. Rest of the year

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Benefits of Fasting in Islam : How character-building is achieved…
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God-fearing nature

Afterlife Accountability

Patience

Self-control
Taqwa (Self-
Fasting
restraint) Self-discipline

Responsibility

Obedience

Purification of soul

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Days of Ramadan
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God’s Forgiveness
God’s Mercy
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Salvation from Hell-fire
Accordingly, Let's beg for Allah’s mercy, His
forgiveness and salvation from the hell-fire
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Reward of fasting
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Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) proclaimed the
reward of fasting:

“Every action of the son of Adam is given

manifold reward, each good deed receiving
ten times its like, up to seven hundred times.
Allah the Most High said, ‘Except for fasting,
for it is for Me and I will give reward for it, he
leaves off his desires and his food for Me.’ for
the fasting person there are two times of joy; a
time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy
when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming
from the mouth of the fasting person is better
with Allah than the smell of musk.”

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Cultivating feelings for poor and hungry
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These are familiar images from Africa. But

poor and hungry people may be present in
your neighbourhood. Do you feel how the
hungry and thirsty feel?
Photo courtesy: Reliefonline.org and refugeecamp.org

The condition of hunger gets highlighted on each

fasting person leading to:
 Care and concern for the poor and hungry
 Helping attitude towards have-nots
 Charity and donations
 Refrain from wasting food and drinks.
 Social responsibility

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The month of the Revelation of the Qur'an
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“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran

was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs
of the guidance and the distinction”-
Holy Qur’an 2:185

[Buy]

you know this about the Quran?

And we have indeed made the Quran easy to understand
and remember, then is there any one who will
remember (or receive admonition)- Holy Quran 54:17

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Fasting for good health
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Recent Perspectives by others

“ Fasting gives the body the environment to

heal itself--physiologic rest”

“Abstinence from food for a short time can

in no way operate to the disadvantage of a
“Fast and you normal person.”
shall
“In fact, individuals affected with certain
become healthy”
-Prophet Muhammad types of gastrointestinal disorders are
(peace
(peace and
and
blessings
blessings
benefited by fasting.”
of
of Allah
Allah be
be upon
upon him)
him)

“Fasting has also been used in cases of

diabetes and obesity.”

“It is a cleansing process and a physiologic

Stated or functional rest which prepares the body
1400 years for future correct living.”
ago

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This presentation is a part of More on Islam presentation series. For other titles please contact moreonislam@hotmail.com