Ramazan is said to mark the 9th month of the Islamic calendar known as Hijri that coincides with the time when the very first verses of the Quran (the holy book of Muslims) were revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
Muslims believe that during this month, the gates of heaven are opened–while those to hell are shut down.Ramazan is dependent on the sighting of the new moon, which is why its onset might vary from country to country.
During the course of Ramazan, Muslims are supposed to practice abstinence from food, water and sex. It is observed to inculcate a sense of self-control and dedication to God.s
Sehri marks the onset of the Ramazan rituals that last from dawn to dusk.Sunni Muslims break their fast as soon as the dusk prayer begins, which is when the sun is no longer visible on the horizon, whereas Shias wait longer due to the belief that a fast is only half complete “until the last rays of light have vanished from the sky.”While it is essential for all Muslims to observe Ramazan, the elderly, children, those suffering from an illness, or menstruating women can skip fasting.
Many Muslim countries are known to shorten their work hours in order to make the otherwise-rigid stretch of fasting a little easier.Egypt, for example, pushes back its clocks by an hour to make the days shorter during the month to accommodate the additional time spent in prayer and in enjoying festive meals to end the daily fast.
The end of Ramazan is marked by the festival of Eid.
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