By By Fatima Balde
Assalamualakum. My name is Fatima Balde. I am 12yrs. Old. My subject is on Islam. My topic is on Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It last for 29-30 days. It is a religious month for fasting. Ramadan is intended to teach Muslims patience, spirituality, and humility. Muslims fast for the sake of Allah, and to offer more prayer than usual.
Muslims believe that Ramadan is an auspicious month of revelations of God of humankind, and which, the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammed SAW.
The word Ramadan is derives from an Arabic root rmd like ramida or ar-ramad denoting intense heat. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities. Its purpose is to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches self discipline, self control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity and in Arabic as in Zakat. In the Quran Surah at Taubah verses 34-35 Allah tells us about Zakat: “O ye who believe! There are indeed many among the priest and anchorites, who in false hood devour the substance of men and hinder them from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah. Announce among them a most grievous penalty; on the day when heat will be produced out of that wealth in the fire of hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flank. This is the treasure which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye then the treasure ye buried.”
It becomes compulsary for Muslims to fast when they reached puberty, so long as their healthy and don’t have any illness or disease. But not considered as compulsary in childhood, many children try to complete as many fasts as they can. Many parents intend their children to do so.
Most usually fast everything. In addition of fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur’an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in mosques every night of this month of Ramadan. During a long selection of the Quran is recited. Therefore, the entire Qur’an is read in the whole month. We fast from dusk to dawn. We break our fast at the time of Magrhib prayer, which is at the time of sunset. I have recently interviewed children on what does Ramadan means to them. A lot of them said that Ramadan means peace; happiness; a time to think about others and more. Thank you for your time and Assalamualakum.