The Muslim month of Ramadan ends at sunset today. For Muslims who have been fasting every day since May 5, as well as their families and friends, this will mean great celebration and the end of a long long period of reflection and fasting.
Here are a couple explanations non-Muslims have about Ramadan. They are in “100 Questions and Answers About Muslim Americans.”
Ramadan is one of the five pillars or essential practices of Islam. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking and intimate relations from dawn until nightfall. Those who are ill and are unable to fast for health reasons or age are exempt, as are women who are pregnant, menstruating or nursing.
The end of Ramadan is called Eid ul-Fitr, the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast, and it is one of the high points in the Islamic calendar.
The way to greet a Muslim friend or neighbor at the end of Ramadan is by saying, “Blessed Eid!” If you feel like trying that in Arabic, say “Eid mubarak!”
“100 Questions and Answers About Muslim Americans” is available from Amazon or the Front Edge Publishing bookstore.
