Moon Sighting And Fasting In Ramadan 2021
Muslims all over the world follow the Lunar calendar or Hijri calendar. This calendar has 12 months starting from Muharram (1st month) and ending on Zill Hajj (12th month). The lunar months start from the sighting of the crescent moon after the 29th date of the month. The lunar year is 10–12 days smaller than that of the solar year. Out of 12 lunar months, Ramadan is the holy month for Muslims. Ramadan is also called ‘Ramzan’ or ‘Ramazan’ in the south Asian region. This is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.
Moon Sighting In Saudi Arabia
This year, Ramadan is starting from Tuesday the 13th April till Tuesday the 11th of May 2021 in Saudi Arabia and other Arabs states. Supreme court of Saudia Arabia called the observance of moon sighting from the people on 11th April and declared that there was no evidence of moon sighting and the first day of Ramadan will be observed on 13th April. Some Arab states like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, and Oman follow the moon sighting of Saudi Arabia.
Moon Sighting In Pakistan
Central Moon Sighting Committee is also known as Ruet e Halal Committee is the authority to get the pieces of evidence from the locals and the Zonal centers from different states of Pakistan. Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad the current chairman of Ruet e Halal Committee announces the moon sighting after gaining the shreds of evidence from a different region. The Holy month of Ramadan is starting from Wednesday the 14th April till Wednesday the 12th of May 2021 in Saudi Arabia and other Arabs states. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the moon is usually sighted after one day from Saudi Arabia.
Fasting In Ramadan
Out of the five pillars of Islam, fasting is at the 4th position. Muslims do fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan because Allah has made it obligatory for the adults except in traveling, sick, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and old age in Islam. Allah says in Quran;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O’ you who have Faith! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard yourselves (against evil).”
Surah Baqrah verse 183
The first revelation of Allah was revealed on Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in this holy month on the ‘Layla tul Qadr’ which is one of the odd nights in the last 10 days of the month.
The process of fast starts from the prayer of Fajr after taking a meal called ‘Suhur’ or ‘Sehri’. Muslims say this dua before offering the Fajr prayer.
وَبِصَوْمِ غَدٍ نَّوَيْتُ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ
“I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan”
Fasting is the self-restraint practice. The whole of the day, Muslims don’t eat or drink till the Maghrib prayer which ends the fast. This meal before Maghrib is known as ‘Sehri’. Muslims say this dua before eating Sehri.
اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ وَعَليْكَ تَوَكّلتُ وَ عَلى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ
“O, Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You and I put my trust in You and I break my fast with Your sustenance”
Muslims remain in worship, increased devotion, and spiritual reflection throughout Ramadan. There are several rules and regulation for fasting which one have to follow to maintain their fast.
The holy month of Ramadan is divided into three sections. First 10 days of the month is called ‘First Ashra’. These are considered by Muslims as the days of mercy.
O! My Lord forgive and have Mercy and You are the Best of Merciful
The second 10 days in this month is called ‘Second Ashra’. Muslims ask for forgiveness from Allah.
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, from every sin I committed”
The last 10 days in this month is called ‘Third Ashra’. Muslims seek refuge from Hellfire.
“O Allah! Save me from the Hell-Fire”
Layla tul Qadr is one of the odd nights in the Third Ashra having the highest reward from all of the days. It is also termed as the mother of all days. In this Ashra, Muslims do Itkaf (separate themselves from the world for 10 days to worship Allah). Male Muslims do Itkaf in the mosques by covering a specific space while women do Itkaf at home by fixing up space in a separate room.
Spiritual Benefits Of Ramadan
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
1) Allah likes the smell of Faster more than any fragrance.
2) Fish in the rivers say a prayer for the Faster.
3) Jannah is decorated daily for the faster and Allah says come to the Jannah you bear hardships for me
4) Satins (Shetan) sentence behind bars so that they can’t attract them to the evil deeds.
5) The faster will be forgiven at the end of the month of Holy Ramadan.
6) ‘Bab e Riyaan’ is the only door of Jannah through faster can go after the day of judgment.
7) Allah says that fast is for Him and He will be responsible for its award.
Habitual Benefits Of Ramadan
Muslims in this holy month, move towards the deed of virtue. They stop doing sins with their eyes, with their hands, and with their tongue. They stop backbiting. They stop lying. They are not allowed for sexual acts during fasting.
Health Benefits Of Ramadan
· Fasting causes weight loss by burning the calories stored in the body.
· It can lower the rate of production of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as well as the common lymphoid progenitor cells.
· It decreases the sugar level in the blood.
· It boasts up the starvation level in the body.
· It increases the generation of tumor-killing cells.
· It lowers the risk of diabetes.
· It reduces depression.
· For heart health, it was found to be good.
· Metabolic Brain functioning goes up during fasting.
· It may help to lower Alzheimer’s disease.
· Fasting extends your life span.
