History of Ramadan

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

No month holds as much significance as Ramadan. It is a practice that dates back thousands of years and it forms an integral part of the religion of Islam. Worshippers around the world observe Ramadan by fasting between sunrise and sunset during the ninth month of the lunar year. Rooted in the five pillars of Islam, fasting is one of the core values every believer is obligated to follow which makes Ramadan a compulsory principle for those who follow Islam.

It is widely respected by people from all religions and cultures across the globe, but few outside of the Islam community know the history behind the holy month. In around 610 AD in the city of Mecca, Prophet Muhammad started to receive teachings from Allah during a month-long period. During this month, he encountered the Angel Gabriel. During this encounter, it is said the Angel Gabriel revealed the exact words of Allah in the form of the Qur’an.

It is believed that Prophet Muhammad was the last of the prophets Allah chose to share his words and his teachings with mankind, and as such, the Prophet Muhammad is considered the messenger of God along with the 24 other prophets, which includes Ibrahim, Adam, Isa and Musa. The night the Angel Gabriel revealed the Qur’an is known as Laylat Al-Qadr. Translated to English, it means ‘The Night of Power’. Many people believe Laylat Al-Qadr falls on the 27th night of the ninth month of the lunar year, but others believe it falls on the 23rd night.

Given this is the night the holy Qur’an was first revealed, this is the most prominent day of all for believers and is the most important day of Ramadan. The practice of fasting w a s familiar to the pre-Islamic Arabs, as the Quran mentions: “You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God.” (Quran 2:183) The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years, and the verses instructing believers to fast the entire month of Ramadan came in the latter half of that period.

During the first 12 years in Mecca, the Islam minority faced torture, tyranny and persecu- tion from the Qurayshi ruling pagan tribe, wit h many losing their lives. The surviving believers migrated to the city of Medina in 622 AD, over 300km away. Two years later, the verses about fasting in Ramadan were revealed, with Prophet Muhammad establishing the holy month’s practices in the sanctuary of their new home.