April 2 - May 1 - Ramadan

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan is celebrated on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, Ramadan takes place from April 2^nd- May 1^st. It commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an (Islam’s holy book) to the Prophet Muhammed and is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Islam is a monotheistic religion (belief that there is one God, Allah). As with other religions, people who practice Islam (people who are Muslim) are diverse, with varying beliefs, sects, levels of adherence, and interpretations. There are over 1.8 billion Muslims globally, which makes up almost a quarter of the world’s population! This makes Islam the second largest and fastest growing religion in the world.

Keeping in mind the diversity within Islam, during Ramadan, Muslim people all over the world renew their spiritual commitment and practice self-discipline, self-sacrifice, patience, and heightened virtue. Ramadan may be observed in many ways including fasting, acts of charity, reflections, and prayer.

Ramadan often involves some form of fasting, from sunrise to sunset, for about a month. This fasting is known as sawm, which means to refrain from not only food, but also drink, evil actions, thoughts, or words. Sawm is one of the five core pillars of Islam. Before dawn, suhoor takes place, which is the meal before the fast begins. At dusk, iftar, the meal the fast is broken with, takes place. Typically, iftar is a social and communal meal where many will gather to eat together, and mosques (places of worship) will offer food to those in need.

Ramadan may also be observed through prayer, charity (also known as Zakat in the five pillars of Islam), gathering with others, and reflecting on spirituality in relation to Islam.

The end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid al-Fitr. This is known as the Festival of Fast-Breaking and is celebrated over several days with prayer, social gatherings, gift exchanges, and donations.

In Chatham-Kent, Muslim communities are growing. Chatham-Kent is now home to a Chatham-Kent Muslim Association and the Chatham Islamic Centre, which opened in February.

As we work towards diversity, equity, inclusion & justice in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, we are striving to create a welcoming and supportive environment for Muslim communities, community members, and colleagues.

During this holy time for Islamic community members, we wish you Ramadan Mubarak (blessed Ramadan)!

Learn More:

Muslim Advisory Council of Canada Ramadan Toolkit

CBC – Learning More About Ramadan

If you have comments, questions, or feedback about this post, please contact Rebecca Haskell-Thomas or Amrit Khaira.