This essay will be discussing Ramadan and what Muslims have to do during Ramadan.
Question 1
This essay will be discussing Ramadan and what Muslims have to do during Ramadan. It will also be explaining when Muslims get up during Ramadan, what they have to do and when the fast starts. Also how the fast can be broken and how Eid-Ul-Fitr is celebrated at the end of the month, after a month of fasting.
Ramadan is a time for spiritual purification achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers. Celebrated during the ninth month of Islamic calendar, the fast is observed each day from sunrise to sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam. The five pillars are:
In Islam there are 5 pillars which are:
* Shahadah: This Pillar is to believe and say the words. "There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah".
* Salah: This Pillar is praying five times a day. There are set prayers which Muslims should say, and all Muslims should face Mecca in Arabia when praying, and should pray on a prayer mat. People should wash before they pray. There are fixed movements, which include kneeling with the forehead placed on the ground in front. This expresses the servant status of the human being in relation to Allah.
* Zakah: Each year, Muslims are supposed to give a fixed proportion of their savings for events such as helping the poor. In this way, they believe that their wealth is "made pure"
* Sawm: Refraining from food and drink during the month of Ramadan during daylight hours.
* Hajj: This is making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life, if it can be afforded.
The Islamic belief requires that Muslims should perform five central duties in order to strengthen their faith. The purpose of fasting is that it teaches self-control, encourages a focus on prayer and the life of the spirit. Muslims fast because it allows practitioners to devote their attention to worship, and draw closer to God.
During Ramadan Muslims wake up for zuhr, which is breakfast time during Ramadan which, is usually between the times 3 - 4 am. When Muslims wake up they have to eat before the Morning Prayer and then after they have prayed the fast starts. In one day five prayers should be said. Because Ramadan is a time to spend with friends and family, the fast is often opened by different Muslim families coming together to share an evening meal. The fast is opened by eating three dates. At the end of the month, once fasting has been completed, ...
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During Ramadan Muslims wake up for zuhr, which is breakfast time during Ramadan which, is usually between the times 3 - 4 am. When Muslims wake up they have to eat before the Morning Prayer and then after they have prayed the fast starts. In one day five prayers should be said. Because Ramadan is a time to spend with friends and family, the fast is often opened by different Muslim families coming together to share an evening meal. The fast is opened by eating three dates. At the end of the month, once fasting has been completed, a big celebration takes place known as 'Eid-Ul-Fitr', the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. During this celebration Muslims dress in their finest clothes, give gifts to children and spend time with their friends and family. At Eid-Ul-Fitr it is important to give a set amount of money to charity to be used to help poor people buy new clothes and food so they too can celebrate.
Not all people fast. Women cannot fast if they are on their period, or if they are pregnant or if they are recovering from very recent childbirth. The elderly are excused from fasting as they are fragile and need their vitamins and proteins in their bodies and the ones who are travelling are also excused.
Ramadan brings Muslims together because they fast together, they pray 5 times a day together, go to each other houses; invite people to their houses, open their fast together and even sometimes they start their fast together.
Question 2
This essay will be describing the reasons why a Muslim fasts and in which way they believe that Allah can help them and help their minds, spiritually and their body image, physically. It will also be describing how Muslims have to cope with fasting in Non- Muslim countries and throughout their normal general routine.
In Islam there are 5 pillars which are:
* Shahadah: This Pillar is to believe and say the words. "There is no god except Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah".
* Salah: This Pillar is praying five times a day. There are set prayers which Muslims should say, and all Muslims should face Mecca in Arabia when praying, and should pray on a prayer mat. People should wash before they pray. There are fixed movements, which include kneeling with the forehead placed on the ground in front. This expresses the servant status of the human being in relation to Allah.
* Zakah: Each year, Muslims are supposed to give a fixed proportion of their savings for events such as helping the poor. In this way, they believe that their wealth is "made pure"
* Sawm: Refraining from food and drink during the month of Ramadan during daylight hours.
* Hajj: This is making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life, if it can be afforded.
Sawm is the fasting during the month of Ramadan during daylight hours. The prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) was the first person in Islam to fast, and so he continued this with his wife fasting too, Hajar (pbuh). Muslims would please Allah if they fasted during Ramadan because, one of the main benefits of Ramadan are an increased compassion for those in need of the necessities of life, a sense of self-purification and reflection and a renewed focus on spirituality. Muslims also appreciate the feeling of togetherness shared by family and friends throughout the month. Perhaps the greatest practical benefit is the yearly lesson in self-restraint and discipline that can carry forward to other aspects of a Muslim's life such as work and education.
Giving food up may be difficult because there are restrictions not to eat between sunrise and sunset. It may also make many Muslims weak, and they may also feel faint. A Muslims friend or companion, which is Non-Muslim, may tempt a Muslim to break their fast. For example if a person was eating in front of a Muslims, they may also be tempted to eat as well. A Muslim can overcome their temptations by staying away from restaurants, or a place where people eat, or if someone is eating in front of them, walks away.
It is extremely difficult to fast in Non-Muslims countries as they have to be with people who eat, who gossip about other people. The weather may also affect their fast. Non- Muslims should try to encourage the Muslims which are fasting around them, not taking food in front of them and just generally helping them because Muslims may feel weak.
Allah gives Muslims the will power to fast. It also physically helps your body; it also helps detox your body. You think about how Allah will reward you for fasting for yourself and for Allah. Allah also helps you think about the people who can't have 3 meals a day and imagine what it may feel for them.
Question 3
This essay will be discussing that fasting has both advantages & disadvantages and how it can help Muslims, yet also make it difficult. There are a number of advantages;
* Fasting is proven to give the digestive system a break and it is like a detox (which people do to lose weight) except healthier
* Fasting makes it easy to overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions.
* Fasting rapidly dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.
* Recorded since the beginning of time, fasting is a practice that has many benefits for the body. Not only does it give the body a chance to heal itself, it also cleans all the toxins and poisons from the body. The health benefits of fasting can leave you feeling more energized and more physically fit that ever before.
However there are also a few disadvantages. If a Muslim is living in a western country, it could be difficult to fast and there would be many different religions apart from Islam and most people might not understand why Muslims fast.
Personally, in my opinion, I agree that fasting is a good thing because millions of people fast for religious reasons or health reasons. If done with wisdom by healthy people, it is beneficial both physically and spiritually.
Bibliography: - GCSE RE Studies Islam
