“The doors of the heaven are opened up on the first night of Ramdhan. Not a single door is then closed until the last night of Ramadhan.”

Self realisation,self-healing and self control are the stepstones to the pinnacle of mankind. RAMADHAN is the epitome of same virtue.

In Udaipur, Bohra Muslim community has already marked the start of this pious month on Tuesday. Namaz was offered in khanjipir, rasulpura, lukmani, mallatalai etc community mosques and wishes were exchanged. Sunni and other Muslim communities will most probably keep their first fast of pious Ramzan-ul- mubarak month on Friday, August 13, 2010. (Update : Last night of August 11th, Muslim community of Udaipur declared the start of Holy month of Ramazan, fasting started from today August 12th 2010)

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a “month of blessing” marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. At many mosques during Ramadan, about one thirtieth of the Qur’an is recited each night in prayers known as tarawih. In this way, by the end of the month the complete scripture will have been recited.

The typical day starts hours before dawn when Muslims wake up to remember God and spend time in meditation. This predawn prayer is called the tahajjud prayer.

Muslims practice sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun shines. Families get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar.

Significance of Ramzan

Fasting in the Muslim tradition is designed to bring spiritual benefits, chiefly a release from physical constraints and desires so one can concentrate on worship and appreciation of Allah. The patience and forbearance induced by fasting extend to other areas of life. Simple fasting from food can be ruined – rendered not pleasing to Allah – if spoiled by telling lies, slander, denouncing someone behind his back, swearing a false oath, greed or covetousness.

The end of the month is marked by the three-day celebration of Eid al-Fitr, when gifts are exchanged, and families and friends gather for large meals. This can best be understood as a thanksgiving ceremony, where gratitude to God is expressed for having enabled the Muslims to advance in physical and spiritual endurance.

The month of Ramadan is also special for its particular emphasis on alms giving. In Islam, the institution of zakat — one of the faith’s five pillars, ensures the circulation of wealth between the rich and the poor. Spending generously for social welfare by helping the poor and needy and by partaking in other community welfare projects is encouraged.

Where the world is torn apart by differences today, we should strive to appreciate the enormous commonalities we share. Fasting is another of the many forms of worship found in almost all world religions, be it Christianity, Judaism, Jainism, Hinduism or Islam. Respecting that human connection and that bond of unity, let us wish a Happy Ramadan to our Udaipurites.