More About Fasting

• The word ‘Iftar’ means to break fast and is also used just like the English word breakfast. In terms of fasting it refers to the meal taken after abstaining from food and drink from Dawn (about 1 ½ hour before sunrise) and till sunset. In winter, the fasting day may be less than 12 hours but in the summer it can exceed 16 hours.

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The word ‘Iftar’ means to break fast and is also used just like the English word breakfast. In terms of fasting it refers to the meal taken after abstaining from food and drink from Dawn (about 1 ½ hour before sunrise) and till sunset. In winter, the fasting day may be less than 12 hours but in the summer it can exceed 16 hours.

While the human body is tougher than we think, this certainly requires patience and perseverance. Muslims are obligated to fast the full month of Ramadan, the 9th month in the Muslim Calendar. Children and those who are too old, ill or traveling are not obligated to fast, and if fasting may impact their health, they are prohibited from doing so.

Since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, it is 10-11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. Every year Ramadan moves 10-11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar than the year before. Therefore, Muslims observe the fast of Ramadan during every season and in every kind of weather, the short cold days, the long hot days, the mild fall days and the comforting spring days. Because it is a lunar calendar Muslims are reminded of the heavenly sign that acts as a cosmic time meter, the birth of the new moon that marks the start of every lunar month. As the month progresses they follow the crescent’s growth as it becomes a full moon then wanes into a crescent again and fades out at the end of the month.

Ramadan is a month of patience, giving and blessing. It is a chance for many to practice physical and spiritual self discipline that should be maintained throughout the year. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking and intimate marital interaction during the day. And, while Muslims are commanded to refrain from all that is ill or harmful to themselves or others year-round, it becomes even more dutiful to do so during Ramadan.

Although Muslims do not eat and drink during the day, it is mandated that they do so at sunset, and it is the teaching of the Prophet not to delay in breaking the fast. It is also his teaching that people should gather together when they eat, invoke the name of God, and enjoy the blessing of the food He has given us. In many places around the world, Muslims neighborhoods hold Open Iftar events so that people can break fast together and get to know one another.

It is this tradition that we seek to encourage by offering people a way to announce their Open Iftar events or to find ones in their neighborhood. We encourage people to post their events and to have them open to everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

While fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory, Muslims can electively fast other days during the year. Some people like to fast many days in a row in an attempt to further discipline their physical and spiritual selves. Some fast every other day, which Muslims believe was the tradition of the Prophet David, peace be upon him. Some fast the three ‘white days’ of every lunar month, when the moon is full. Some try to keep the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, of fasting every Monday and Thursday when possible, and many Muslims electively fast the following highly recommended “special days”:

• Ashoura
  Ashoura is the 10th day of the 10th Islamic month, Muharram, which in the year 2010 is expected to fall on December 16th. Muslims believe it is the day that God saved the prophet Moses, peace be upon him, and the children of Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh. Fasting Ashoura counters the minor sins of the preceding year.
• The Day of Arafa
  Arafa is the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah and in the year 2010 it is expected to fall on November 15th. It is the day when Muslims on pilgrimage stand on and around the mount of Arafa praising God and calling for his mercy. For those who are not on pilgrimage, it is recommended that they fast that day. Fasting Arafa counters the minor sins of the preceding year and the following year.
• First nine days of Dhul Hijjah
  Dhul Hijjah is the pilgrimage month of which the 9th day is the day of Arafa mentioned above. All nine days are blessed days and fasting as many days of them as possible is highly recommended. The days in the year 2010 are expected to be from November 7th to November 15th.
• As many days as possible of Rajab and Shaaban
  Rajab is the 7th lunar month and Shaaban is the 8th and they are the two months that directly precede Ramadan. In 2010, Rajab begins on June 12th and Shaaban on July 13th. The prophet said that Rajab is the month of Allah and Shaaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of the people. He used to fast many days in those two months.
• First six days of Shawwal
  Shawwal is the month that comes right after Ramadan. The first day of Shawwal is “Eid”, a day of celebration for the end of the fasting month. It is prohibited to fast on the day of “Eid” for one should be eating and celebrating. Except for the day of Eid, it is recommended to fast 6 days during the month of Shawwal. When combined with fasting Ramadan, God multiplies the reward for that to be equivalent to fasting the whole year. For fasting the month of Ramadan is multiplied to equal the fasting of ten months and fasting 6 days in Shawwal is multiplied to equal the fasting of 60 days… i.e. two more months. That totals the reward of 12 months of fasting. An easy way to bank a great reward. For 2010, Shawwal is expected to start on September 10th.

Below is a listing of the Islamic Lunar months in order. The lunar calendar is around 10 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar so every year, any given date in the lunar calendar matches the Gregorian calendar 10 days earlier than it did the year before.

1.	Muharram
2.	Safar
3.	Rabi-ul-Awwal
4.	Rabi-uthani
5.	Jumadi-ul-Awwal
6.	Jumadi-uthani
7.	Rajab
8.	Sha'ban
9.	Ramadan
10.	Shawwal
11.	Dhil-Qidah
12.	Dhil-Hijjah

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