Holiday Almanac: Ramadan starts tonight for Muslims

The name of God is spelled out in calligraphy on this tapestry at the South Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. (Photo by James Davis)

Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic year, starts tonight for the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims.

It was during this month, according to Islamic belief, that the Quran, the holy book of Islam, was transmitted through the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad more than 14 centuries ago.

To fix their attention on spiritual matters, the faithful refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or sexual relations during daylight hours of Ramadan. Many Muslims also attend services every night during the month. In most mosques, one-thirtieth of the Quran is read each night, so that the whole book is read during the month.

Observance of Ramadan is one of the five “pillars,” or basic duties of Islam. The others are almsgiving, prayer five times daily, at least one pilgrimage to Mecca if possible, and the confession that “there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

All adult believers are expected to observe Ramadan unless they are ill, traveling or defending their country in wartime. Women are not required to fast during menstruation or while nursing babies. But later, they are expected to fast for every day they have deferred it.

— James Davis