Ramadan

9th month of the Muslim calendar (Sha’aban)

• The month of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the new moon

• Ramadan lasts 30 days

• This year Ramadan began on Tuesday 4th October 2005

• Ramadan is an important social and religious time for over a billion (1,000,000,000) Muslims throughout the world

• It is considered to be the holiest period of the Islamic Year

• The Quran; the holy book of the Muslims was revealed during this month, 14 centuries ago

Quran

• Each day during Ramadan, Muslim families get up early before sunrise to eat a morning meal together and to perform the Fajr prayer (salah)

Fasting (Sawm)

• Muslims like to pray as much as they can during this month and many manage to read the entire Quran

Prayers/Salah

• Prayers can be offered at a mosque or at home

Al- Aqsa Mosque Muslims praying at Regent’s Park mosque

• When Muslims pray they cover their hair to show their respect for Allah (God)

• Boys wear hats• Girls wear scarves

Prayers/Salah

• At sunset Muslims across the world break their fasts

Most Muslims like to break their fasts with dates and water

• This is then followed by a variety of delicious foods

• Not all Muslims fast during Ramadan

Charity

Self-purification (inner & outer)

Muslims practice:

• Ramadan ends with a celebration called 'Eid-Ul-Fitr (eed-al-fitter), or the Festival of Fast-Breaking

• This year Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday 3rd November

Islamic clock

Makkah – centre of the Muslim world

Thank you‘Ramadan Mubarak’

After prayers everyone wishes each other a huge

‘EID MUBARAK’

Yummy sweets and desserts are then eaten to mark the occasion

• Then it’s time to dress up in your best clothes and shoes

• Friends and families like to get together on Eid-ul-Fitr to celebrate the special day

• Girls and women like to decorate their hands with beautiful patterns using mendhi paste (henna)

• Eid cards, gifts and money are often exchanged

• The partying goes on, sometimes all through the night