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We visited the Yahoo! Ramadan category to learn about the significance of this Muslim holy month. This year, Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, begins on November 27 and culminates in the celebration of Eid ul-Fitr, the Festival of Fast-Breaking, on December 27, 2000. Our quest began at Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month, a comprehensive, scholarly compendium by Tajuddin B.
Shu'aib. Ramadan celebrates the revelation of the Quran, the word of Allah, given to the Prophet Muhammad. Observance involves abstaining from eating, drinking (including water), and sexual activity from dawn until dusk, throughout the entire month. Light, traditional meals are eaten after sundown, in the company of family and friends. For more than one billion Muslims around the world, fasting, referred to as siyyam or sawm, is one of the five pillars, or essential religious duties, of their faith. Fasting teaches self-control, encourages a focus on prayer and the life of the spirit, and allows practitioners to devote their attention to worship, and draw closer to God. There are abundant online
resources for both Muslims and non-Muslims to learn more about the meaning and practice of Ramadan. At IslamCity's Ramadan Information Center, we watched streaming video conversations with Islamic scholars and community leaders from around the world. On a page from the As-Sunnah Foundation of America, we found an essay titled "Why do Muslims fast?" that answers your question with thoroughness and dedication.
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