Employers asked to help Muslims in Taiwan observe Ramadan

Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar.

As the Muslims welcomed the Holy month in Jamia Mosque Nairobi, they said they spend more money than during the normal days.

Islam’s holiest month is a period of intense prayer, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts.

Muslims believe the month of Ramadan, which started on Monday, was when the Koran was presented to the prophet Muhammad as the holy book of Islam.

Ramadan officially begun on Monday when the first sighting of the new moon was made.

“Ramadan is a month that makes you look back when you finish fasting”.

Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and runs for the duration of the lunar month. Even a sip of water, coffee or a cigarette can invalidate one’s fast. All muslims are required to take part every year, though there exceptions for those who are ill, pregnant and for young children and the elderly.

Before the fast starts, Muslims are encouraged to wake up for “suhoor”, the last meal eaten before sunrise, to help sustain their energy throughout the day.

Ramadan is expected to end on July 7 this year, with Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr, one of the major holidays for Muslims. Muslims are forbidden to consume food and water while the sun is up and can only eat before sunrise and after sunset.

A quote from the Prophet Mohammed says: “Ramadan is the month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose end is freedom from fire”. It represents, for Muslims, a month of piety, charity and frugality.

The fast is a spiritual and social experience, meant to curb distraction, instill a sense of humility and compassion, and focus on spiritual development.

It is common for Muslims to break their fast with family and friends and charities organise free meals for the public at mosques and other public spaces.

Taimoor Butt, 6, waits during prayers at the Manawatu Muslim Association Islamic Centre.

Muslims in the Netherlands and Belgium will fast for 18 hours, while those observing Ramadan in Spain and Germany will fast for 16 hours.

In the Charlotte area, thousands of Muslims also come together for an hour or so of community prayer to mark the end of Ramadan.