Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims around the world. It is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Since this calendar is based on lunar cycles, Ramadan advances by 11 days each year so that Ramadan can be in all months of the Gregorian calendar. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims must fast during the day and eat food at night. You will also have to improve yourself during the month of Ramadan, and will eventually enjoy Eid, which is celebrated with family and friends.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Fasting Ramadan
Step 1. Fast during the day
In the month of Ramadan, you are not allowed to eat and drink from sunrise to sunset. All types of food and drink should not be consumed, including water, solid and liquid foods, and things like chewing gum.
Fasting is not just not eating. Fasting is learning to sympathize with others, learning self-control, and giving charity to others in need
Step 2. Avoid fasting if you suffer from certain health conditions or are doing strenuous work
This exception applies to people who are not able to fast. Elderly and sick people are not allowed to fast, as are pregnant and lactating women. People who are doing heavy work may also not fast. In general, you have to make up for it on another day if you cannot fast at this time, but there are also people who are allowed to feed other people (paying fidiah) to make up for their fast.
- People who have diabetes may also be unable to fast, especially type 1 diabetes.
- Actually, it's all up to you whether you feel capable or not to fast.
Step 3. Wait until you are old enough to fast
Children generally do not fast before reaching puberty. The age that is usually used as a benchmark for fasting is 15 years. However, many children practice fasting for half a day or even a full day to prepare themselves for fasting later. Sometimes family members give gifts in the form of money or goods according to the number of fasting days the children have spent.
Step 4. Fast also from negative behavior
Muslims must also fast from certain behaviors during the month of Ramadan. From dawn to sunset, you should refrain from doing things like smoking or having sex. In addition, you should try hard to control your behavior in Ramadan, for example by not cheating, lying, getting angry, and other similar actions.
Part 2 of 4: Eating Food during Ramadan
Step 1. Get up early for Suhoor
Since you have to fast during the day, you have to get up long before dawn to eat your Suhoor. This is also a good time to hydrate your body so you don't run out of fluids throughout the day.
Try eating protein, as well as foods that are high in fiber (such as whole grains, fruit, and vegetables) so you don't feel too hungry throughout the day. Don't forget to use halal food and look for the halal symbol or stamp on dairy products and others
Step 2. Break the fast with family and friends
In the month of Ramadan, people usually invite friends and family to break their fast together. Muslims and non-Muslims can join together to share the joy with the community. So, don't hesitate to open up. Iftar usually begins with eating one or two dates.
- Eating food to break the fast is called iftar or breaking the fast.
- You can also serve food, such as princess bath, fruit pudding, soup, or compote.
Step 3. Decorate the house for iftar
Since breaking your fast is such a joyous occasion, you can put up decorations for a month. The decorations that people often put up are moons, stars, and lanterns. Children are very happy to decorate the house with the symbols of this lunar calendar (hijri).
Step 4. Consume halal food during Ramadan, just like when you do it all year round
"Halal" is anything that is permitted under Islamic law in general, but is mostly associated with food. Halal is almost similar to kosher (a shari'a in Judaism) in certain respects because they both impose certain ways of killing animals. In addition, they also prohibit eating pork and (in some cases) shellfish. While there may be differences, you may want to look for the kosher symbol when purchasing dairy products and non-meat ingredients when in a non-Muslim country as these foods generally do not contain meat, such as gelatin.
Part 3 of 4: Improving Worship Charities
Step 1. Perform sunnah prayers at night
Usually, you have to perform the obligatory prayers 5 times a day throughout the year, including the Isha prayer after breaking the fast. However, many Muslims (mostly Sunnis) also perform an additional prayer during the month of Ramadan, namely Tarawih. This prayer is divided into 4 movements, namely standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting. When standing, you must read the verses of the Qur'an.
- In the month of Ramadan, you can divide the Qur'an into 30 parts to read every day. So you will read 1 juz every night.
- You can perform the Tarawih prayer at home, but you can also do it in a mosque or prayer room.
Step 2. Pray in the mosque/musala
Ramadan is a time for self-purification and introspection. So, you should go to the mosque more often this month. All mosques and prayer rooms offer Taraweeh prayers during the month of Ramadan.
- Many mosques also provide food and drinks for iftar, if you prefer to break your fast at the mosque.
- Some people even spend time in the mosque in the last 10 days of Ramadan, to worship and pray (called iktikaf).
Step 3. Give alms
If you can afford it, you should give charity to the poor in need. In general, you give charity at least 2.5% of your assets (called zakat mal) during the month of Ramadan. You can give alms to people you know and need help. However, if everyone you know doesn't need help, you can also give zakat mal to amil zakat institutions.
- You should also give charity in a smaller value (zakat fitrah) at the end of Ramadan, ahead of Eid.
- Zakat fitrah that must be issued is at least 2.75 kg of basic food ingredients (can be rice, corn, wheat, sago, etc.)
Step 4. Volunteer
You can volunteer at the mosque to help clean the mosque and cook food for iftar. You can do good deeds anywhere because doing good deeds is highly recommended in Islam. Therefore, it would be better if you do it during the month of Ramadan.
Part 4 of 4: Celebrating Eid
Step 1. Wait for the announcement of the month of Shawwal from the government
Since Ramadan is based on the rotation of the moon, Eid is marked by the appearance of a new moon. This marks the end of Ramadan, and it means you are no longer fasting.
Step 2. Be grateful for the favors you get
This is also the right time to be grateful for the blessings of Allah subhanahu wa taala who have guided you in restraint while fasting. Also give thanks to Allah subhanahu wa taala who has given you the strength to fast.
Step 3. Wear the best clothes
You can buy new clothes to welcome Eid. Children are usually bought new clothes to celebrate Eid, and you can do it too. If you don't want to buy new clothes, you can wear the best clothes when you visit family and neighbors.
Step 4. Decorate the house
If you don't want to decorate your house in Ramadan, you can decorate it during Eid. This can be a lot of fun, especially when relatives come to visit. Some of the more commonly used decorations include stars, moons, and lanterns, but you can decorate your home with just about anything.
Step 5. Give gifts to the children
Most Muslims exchange gifts with friends and family, especially those given to children. They usually get cakes, sweets and money (this is the most frequent) during Eid.
Step 6. Visit other people
This is a good time to visit relatives and friends, and invite them to come over to your house. Traveling at this time is not a big deal because you are not fasting, and it is a good way to celebrate Eid. In general, people will visit parents, children, family members, or friends they haven't seen in a long time.
Step 7. Give alms to people in need
Even though the fasting month has passed, you still have to give charity. Many people even consider it more important during Eid. Try giving money to people in need and take the time to help others.
