What is Ramadan and Eid?

Ramadan is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslim people all around the world. It’s celebrated on the 9th month in the Islamic calendar.

When it’s time for Ramadan, Muslims across the world will fast during the hours of daylight and eat again during sunset, which is usually around 8 pm. However, the time to eat increases each passing day during Ramadan and the times to stop eating also decreases each day.

Muslims break their fast when it’s time for Maghrib prayer, which is around 7-8ish pm. Then, after 3:40-4ish am when it’s Fajr prayer time. They fast for 30 days straight. But, between 7ish pm-4ish am, they can eat anything they want, until Fajr prayer time.

One of the reasons Muslims fast is because of the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars are Islam are religious obligations that are carried out in a Muslim’s life. They do these obligations and activities for their belief and to devote themselves to Islam. Also, feel close to Allah. The Five Pillars are:

1. Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith

2. Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day

3. Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy

4. Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan

5. Hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca

Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam, which is an important activity and obligation a Muslim must fulfill in their life.

Another reason, Muslims fast because it helps teach Muslims self-discipline, self-restraint, and generosity. Also, reminds them that the poor are suffering and some of them rarely eat well.

Things Muslims do in Ramadan

During Ramadan, most Muslims will give up bad habits, such as smoking and cursing. Most Muslims will even give up listening to music and watching tv for a whole month because they believe listening to music and watching tv is wrong during Ramadan because it’s not allowed by Allah. But, other modern Muslim do listen to music and watch tv to pass time and keep their minds from thinking about food.

People have different beliefs and ways of doing things when it comes to Islam and being Muslims. The things I do and what I believe may be different from another Muslim girl.

For example, I don’t wear a headscarf (hijab or keemar) during Ramadan because I don’t like the idea of wearing it only for Ramadan if I wanted to wear it. I would wear it all the time and every day, not just for a month because I should. But, other Muslim girls who don’t cover on regular basis would wear a hijab during Ramadan to feel closer to Allah and also it’s one of the obligations that a Muslim woman is required to do, but they have a choice if they want to wear a hijab or not. However, most women I know cover up during Ramadan.

Another thing Muslim do during Ramadan is read the Quran and pray five times a day every day, which a good Muslim should do. I try praying five times a day, but sometimes that doesn’t work out because of my busy and tiring life and schedule. But, if you do pray five times a day, then that’s great. However, if you don’t, then that’s totally fine. Not everyone is perfect and I’m not going to be a hypocrite.

Also, a lot of go to the mosque to pray Taraweeh, which is extra prayers performed by Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. I know they pray 16 rakats. Rakats are prescribed movements and words followed by Muslims while offering prayers to Allah. But, they don’t have to do the whole 16 rakats, most Muslims I know, including me, pray 8 rakats because praying 16, in my opinion, can be tiring, but it’s good to pray the 16 if you can.

Anyway, Ramadan is the time to spend time with family and friends. This is one of the religious Muslim holidays, where everyone prays together, eat iftar, and Sehri (suhoor) together. Ramadan is a nice holiday that Muslim families celebrate together and to devote themselves to their religion.

For Ramadan, my mom would make great food for iftar, which I and my whole family would eat. She would make samosa, wraps, chickpeas, paiszus, rolls with meat fillings, chicken pakoras, and anything we ask her to make. Also, there would be many different fruits there, such as mangos, watermelons, and honeydews. And sometime she would make lemonade if there’s time, which is great. She would make all these delicious food for us which is great and we will all eat it as a nice family and talk about our day.

I like to think Ramadan brings families together in a nice religious way.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid is my favorite Muslim holiday. Muslims all around the world celebrate two types of Eid, which are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr comes after Ramadan is over. Eid al-Adha, in the Islamic calendar, falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah. In the international (Gregorian) calendar, the dates vary from year to year drifting approximately 11 days earlier each year.

The difference between the two Eids are that Eid al-Fitr is celebrated following the month of Ramadan and one of the sole purposes of this Eid celebration is to be thankful of the successful completion of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha is celebrated following the annual pilgrimage to Hajj and the purpose of this Eid is to commemorate the devotion of Prophet Ibrahim in the form of Qurbani. Qurbani is an act of sacrificing an animal in the name of Allah.

Basically, Eid is a big celebration for Muslim people all over the world. The festival begins when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky.

During this religious holiday, there are special services in the Mosque and outside, if there are too many people at the mosque.

And what’s great that Muslims are wearing their fancy and finest clothes during this holiday. They give gifts, mostly money to kids, and spend time with their friends and families.

There are people going to each other houses to eat various types of food. Eid is a huge feast with so many amazing foods that people can eat. Also, it will be the first meal they will have during the daytime after Ramadan is over.

Also, not only Muslims celebrate Eid because Ramadan is over, but they do it to thank Allah for the help and strength that he/she/they gave them throughout Ramadan to help them practice the art of self-control. Eid is the time for forgiveness and making amends as well. Another thing, some Muslims do on Eid is give money to charity to help the poor people buy new clothes and food, so they too can celebrate Eid too.

Eid and Ramadan are both amazing Islamic holidays, where families and friends can spend time together, be devoted to their religion, and help people to the best of their abilities. That’s one of the reasons I love being a Muslim because we trying to help people in many ways we can because we want to and these two holidays allows us to do that in many ways we can. Even though, most of us do them on regular basis anyway because that’s makes us good Muslims, which is great.