Ramadan 2023: Date, Moon Sightings, Significance Of Fasts, And Why It Is Considered A Holy Month

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 1:04

Ramadan is the holy month in the Islamic calendar and is likely to start on Wednesday, 22 March 2023. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. This day is also known as Ramzan, Ramazan or Ramzaan. It is during this time that people from the Muslim community in particular abstain from eating, smoking, drinking, having evil thoughts, and engaging in marital relations from dawn until sunset.

The holy month of the Ramazan will continue till Friday, 21 April 2023 and will end with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, which will be celebrated on Saturday, 22 April or Sunday, 23 April depending upon the sighting of the moon. Significantly, the holy month of Ramadan in India begins after the sighting of the moon over Mecca.

It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar that is considered holy and sacred and it is observed for 4 weeks or 720 hours during which the people fast from dawn to sunset, pray for peace to Allah and engage in charitable acts or zakaat to give back to the community.

Ramadan 2023: Why Is It Considered A Holy Month?

According to Islam, it is in 610 AD, Prophet Mohammad Sahib received the training of Quran Sharif and it was during this month he was chosen by Allah as his messenger, since then the month of Ramzan or Ramadan is considered holy.

Ramadan 2023: Significance Of Keeping Fasts

The word Ramadan or Ramadan is basically an Arabic word, that is, its origin is in Arabia. It is derived from two words- 'ramaḍān' which means 'high heat' and 'ramad' which means 'dryness'. According to Islam, during this month, underprivileged people remain hungry from morning to evening. It is believed that in the scorching heat of the sun, the sins of the fasting person get burnt and the mind becomes clean.

Fasting is considered a very private act of worship in individuals and it continues for 29-30 days during this month and means empathising with people who are not fortunate, and the ones who practice spiritual discipline.

The fast is broken at sunset or evening with iftar, a meal that is shared among family members, friends and close ones. After nightfall, most of them gather in a mosque for when special communal prayer 'tarawih'.

The most important thing in fasting is to have patience. Control your eyes, nose, ears, tongue and thoughts. During this, one should avoid thinking bad, seeing bad, listening bad and speaking bad. This holy month also inspires us to give up bad habits.

Ramadan 2023: Moon Sightings

Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK and Australia gearing up to mark the first fast of Ramadan tomorrow. The crescent moon of Ramadan 2023 has been sighted in across the globe on 22 March 2023. It may begin in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other South Asian countries a day later i.e. from the evening of March 23 or 24, Ramadan 1444 AH. The fast is also observed depending on the sighting of the moon.

Disclaimer: This information is based on assumptions and information available on the Internet. BoldSky does not verify any input or information related to the article. Please seek relevant expert advice before acting or applying any information and assumptions.