Ramadan marked by fasting and prayer

This year, the month of Ramadan starts Wednesday for Valley Muslims.

During the holy month of Ramadan, all able-bodied Muslims are required to fast from just before sunrise until sunset. Excused from this practice are children, the sick, the elderly, the mentally challenged and pregnant and nursing women.

Ramadan is a time for prayer, personal restraint and good deeds.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, falls at a different time in the Gregorian calendar each year. It ends with the Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The sighting of the crescent moon marks the beginning of 30 days of fasting for all adult Muslims, and starts a unique month of togetherness for the Muslim community.

Muslims refrain from from food, drink, and undesirable behavior during this time in order to increase faith and practice restraint.

Physical fasting is not the only important part of Ramadan for the Muslims.

Ramadan is a time to strive to do good deeds and refrain from conflict. Special prayers are offered during the month at night, after the last obligatory prayer.

Fasting holds importance in many religions including Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

At the end of each fasting day, Muslims gather together to break the fast during “Iftars” at the homes of family and friends.

The Muslim Student Association at Youngstown State University plans to host its own Iftar for students and faculty on campus in September.

Fasting fulfills one of the pillars of Islam, which commands fasting during Ramadan.

The other pillars are: belief in one God, prayer, charity and making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Islam teaches belief in one God, the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

The month of Ramadan is believed to be the Islamic month in which the Quran (Islam’s Holy book) was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, the last of the prophets.

A common misconception about Muslims is that all Muslims are Arab, and vice versa. Only 15 percent of Muslims in the world are Arab.

Youngstown boasts a diverse Muslim community with members from a vast range of ethnic backgrounds, languages and walks of life.

Ramadan is a time to reflect, and draw closer to God, as we seek to help each other and the community.

Aminah El-Hadi attends Masjid Al-Khair mosque in Youngstown.