The soaring hot temperature and sultry afternoons have knocked the doors of India. Along with the summer vacation, it's the time to rejoice the month, as it brings the Festival of Ramadan, also known as Ramazan. As per the Islamic calendar, it's the ninth month when the Almighty passed the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad. As per the famous quote "Ramadan is like a rare flower that blossoms once a year and just as you begin to smell its fragrance, it disappears for another year." The quote illustrates and focuses on the beauty of Ramazan festival which is like a rare flower that blossoms in the month of May and disappears after a month to blossom again for the next year. This religious month is devoted to three main preaching which Islam teaches to its followers.
Allah will Forgive Your Sins:
The Ramadan is a pious month when entire Islam community offer prayers to Allah with a thought to forgive all their sins of present and past births. It's a holy month to seek refuge for all the sins committed. It is believed that the most benevolent Allah bestows forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love to its followers who acknowledge and accept their sins and the rest lies on the "Rehmat" of the deity.
Restrain from Worldly Desires:
The verse of Quran 16: 128 which states the impact of fasting; says: "Allah is with those who restrain themselves." The word "restrain" means ability to control or refrain yourself from the worldly desires which will turn a tampered human soul into a loving and peaceful soul. Allah conveys a message on not to follow blindly or run behind your desires to any extent, instead spend time in prayer and meditation. It detoxifies your soul.
The Rehmat of Allah:
Ramadan is considered to be the holiest night of Islam. This night carries immense blessings as compared to those thousand days and months of worshiping. The holy text of Islam glorifies the teachings of Allah in the form of "Aayat" and assures his followers with his blessings and "Rehmat" when tough time foreshadows on his followers.
Mandatory Religious Practices in the Month of Ramadan:
ROZA:
The central activity of Ramadan is fasting. For the entire month (date of the festival differs) Muslim community abstain themselves from eating and practice Roza for entire month. There are two types of meals served during this fast season. The one is "Sehri" and the other is "Iftar". Sehri is the pre-dawn meal usually consumed before the sunrise. Devotes of Allah are allowed to eat and drink at this time which will keep them energized throughout the day. The Sehri meal is important as they will not be allowed to consume any food item and water till the evening. The next meal is eaten after the sunset, called "Iftar". This meal is shared with friends and families. During the day, it is mandatory for the Muslims to visit the nearest Masjid and offer their prayer or "Namaz". The eternal bond in the community can be seen when the devotees in the Masjid announce at 3:00 AM in the dawn to wake up and have Sehri meal. Each day the fasting starts after the Sehri and ends with Iftar in the evening. After breaking the fast, but before eating dinner, Muslims offer the fourth of their five daily prayers—the Maghrib prayer, and after dinner, they make their way to their Mosques to offer the fifth daily prayer, known as the Isha prayer. The day will end with a special voluntary prayer called Taraweeh, which is offered by the congregating at the Masjid.
Charity:
Charity is one of the pillars of Islam. "Zakāt" and "Sadaqah" are the two main charitable terms in Islam. "Zakāt" is mandatory which means donating a part of your income or savings to the poor and "Sadaqah" is a voluntary charity in which the Muslims can donate above the level of "Zakāt" or mandatory donation. As per Hadith, "When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains." It is believed that these donations open the gates of paradise.
Prayers:
The community throngs in the masjid for their routine of five "Ibadat" during the whole month. Apart from the normal prayers, "Tarawih" refers to an extra prayer which is offered to the deity in the month of Ramadan.
Laylat al-Qadr -"The Night of Power" OR "The Night of Decree"
The fasting is followed throughout the month and the last ten 10 days are considered to be the holiest nights of Ramadan. It's the day to recite the verses of Quran and know their meaning in detail for successful implementation in life. Laylat al-Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadan when Muhammad was first exposed to the holy versus of Allah. It's also called the "Night of Power". The divine sanctity of this night is mentioned in the Chapter 97:3 of the Quran. It is said that worshiping on this night and getting blessings is equal or better than one thousand months of proper worship.
Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر): The Beautiful Crescent Moon
The last day of the Ramadan is celebrated as Eid-al-Fitr which falls on the day when the crescent moon appears on the cloud. The day on which the moon appears, is the final celebration day of Ramadan. This is the reason why dates of Ramadan differ every year. The Dawoodi Bohra community believe that the 23rd night is Laylat al-Qadr. Feast, party, exchanging gifts are done on this day to express love and affection for each other. The community can be seen dressed in white attire and enjoying the party at home or in the market where street food stalls are specially opened for breaking their Roza. People visit each other house and exchange sweets especially the variety of Sewai (vermicelli) prepared in different styles. This day marks as the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next lunar month, Shawwal.
Feast at Ramadan Party:
Iftar is a short party during the thirty days of Ramadan, but a grand celebration and party can also be seen in every house. There are some dishes which are a part of the culinary list.
Lamb Kebabs: Any Feast in Islam is will be incomplete with kebabs. Apart from the normal chicken kebab, special minced lamb meat kebab is prepared to welcome guests on the eve of Ramadan. These kebabs are regularly brushed with ghee/butter and cooked on charcoal or barbecue with a special marinate of spices, onion juice and hung curd.
Beef Samosa and Patties: You can find beef samosa and patties (tikki) everywhere at the food stalls in the market. Filled with minced and spiced beef this samosa variety is popular on the occasion.
Biryani: It's a savoury prepared during the Ramadan. Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, and biryani made with camel meat are also served to the guests. In case you are traveling to home for the celebrations, you can order food in train and enjoy varieties of Biryani on your seat.
Haleem: A dish inspired from the Middle East, Central Asia! Haleem is a melange of mutton, pulses, yoghurt, crushed whole wheat, ginger-garlic paste and twenty flavorful spices. It is served with fresh coriander and lemon juice.
Lamb Stew: Very much inspired from the lamb curry recipe, the lamb stew is served with rice or Biryani.
Sharbate-Azam: There are many drinks served during the party. Sharbat zabeeb which is made with raisins and mint leaves is a pleasant and refreshing drink. Karkade (hibiscus tea), Dates and milk, and Khoshaf (a drink made with dry plums, dry fruits, apricots, figs and raisins) is also highly consumed.
The festival of Ramadan ends with a message of doing good deeds, humanity and charity. It also teaches us to make a balance between our work and worship. RailMitra wishes endless moments of joy and happiness in your life on the occasion of Ramadan. "Ramadan Mubarak".
