The United Muslim Students Organization (UMSO) is one of the religious organization and is the only one Muslim organization in the University of the Immaculate Conception, Davao City, Philippines. It was establish as a group of Muslim students since the year of 1997, with the primary objective of uniting Muslim students through Islamic belief and principles.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Islamic Holy Month of Ramadhan

Ramadhan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (Hijri calendar; Lunar calendar). It is the month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. A fast held from sunrise to sunset, for 29 or 30 days.

Determining When Ramadhan Starts
Ramadhan begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations. If it is visible it will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadhan.

According to the Islamic Calendar, Ramadhan was scheduled to start on Saturday, 22nd August 2009. But then, sighting of the new moon is very important in proclaiming when Ramadhan starts.

Here in the Philippines, our Muslims Brothers looked for the moon last August 20, 2009 (Thursday Night) but the moon was not sighted. Thus, the Ramadhan 1430 (Ramadhan 2009) started last August 22, 2009. However, if the moon was sighted Thursday Night, then Ramadhan would have started the very next day, on August 21.

Fasting

Fasting during Ramadhan is obligatory. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam (Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Fasting during Ramadhan and Hajj). Daily fasting starts from sunrise and ends when the sun sets. During this period Muslims are expected to abstain from eating and drinking completely. Fasting is also viewed as a means of controlling one's desires (of hunger, thirst, sexuality, anger, violence) and focusing more on giving thy self, faith and worship towards Allah..

Sahur
Muslims wake up early in the morning to prepare for the daily fast. Sahur, an Arabic term, refers to pre-dawn meal.The meal is eaten before the sun rises, and before the fajr or dawn prayer.

Iftar
The fast is broken at sunset. In Arabic it is called Iftar. Iftar, refers to the evening meal for breaking the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadhan. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during Iftar when the fast is broken.

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Shukran
Islamic Holy Month of Ramadhan
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