Ramadan Mubarak! Blessed Ramadan! Millions of Muslims around the world use this greeting during Ramadan to those observing the month. Though it is a familiar word that we see a few times every year, there is confusion as to what exactly it is.

Ramadan becomes a trending topic during the month, there’s Snapchat filters, it’s written as a holiday in our calendars, yet it is not discussed among the larger community. In comparison to Christians and Jewish people, the Muslim population is not that large which is a factor in the lack of knowledge people may have about Ramadan.

Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year and is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with faith, prayer, charity and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Ramadan is focused on fasting and to observe it, Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. The purpose during this time is to practice self-control and empathize with those who are less fortunate. Without distractions, Muslims are better able to focus on their relationship with God.

It’s widely believed that it was during this month when Allah revealed the first verses of the Qur’an, the sacred text, to Mohammed which is why it is celebrated. The start and end of Ramadan are different every year because it is based on the Islamic lunar calendar and the moon cycles. The beginning of every Ramadan begins with the new moon’s appearance and ends when the new crescent moon appears, allowing the month to last between 29 and 30 days.

Ramadan looks a different every year for every person. As a student observing Ramadan this year, I adjust my schedule fit Suhoor, the meal before sunrise, and Iftar, the meal after sunset, along with prayer times. With the time changing every day for meals and prayer times, every day is different. This year, it falls during final exam time which can become struggling when trying to focus on passing my classes while also taking time to reflect on my relationship with Allah and making positive efforts in my life. While there are difficulties, having a supporting community at GC to help me stay on track and focused on the importance of Ramadan makes more of a difference than people understand.

While I can’t eat food or drink water while the sun is in the sky, it’s a month for healing that many, including me, leave feeling more religiously connected and compassionate for others.

Fajr: 05:40 AM

Suhoor 5:40 AM

Sunrise: 06:52 AM

Dhuhr: 1:32 PM

Asr: 5:12 PM

Maghrib: 8:10 PM

Sunset 8:11 PM

Iftar: 8:11 PM

Isha: 9:23 PM