On Saturday, July 21, Ramadan officially starts for our Muslim brethren. Having communed with Muslims in the past years have allowed me to appreciate and understand this religious observance. Ramadan starts with the sighting of the new moon of the 9th lunar month, and which usually lasts for 29 to 30 days.

Muslims all over the world observe a month of fasting from dawn to sunset by abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual gratification and other worldly activities. It is a time for them to commune with and submit to Allah by offering prayers and reciting verses of the Holy Quran. It is also the time for sharing and charity through Zakat or giving a fixed portion of one's earnings to the poor and the needy.

A day's fasting ends with Iftar or a meal that breaks the fasting, then a prayer, followed by partaking of the main course. Over time, Iftar dinners have become an occasion for fellowship among Muslims and even non-Muslims. I, for one, I felt honored to be invited many times in the past to partake in this fellowship.

The culmination of Ramadan ends after a month with Eid'l Fitr or Eidul Fitr, which is celebrated by having festivities and partaking food as a symbol of having successfully endured a month of fasting. Akin to Christmas among Christians, they also lavish family members, especially children, with gifts and cash. In some countries, they even adorn their houses and streets with colored lights and buntings and other trimmings.

Some trivia I learned from my Muslim friends (please correct me if I am wrong), the following are exempted from fasting:

1. Sick people that include temporary sickness (i.e. flu, injury), 
2. Women who had their monthly menstrual cycle,
3. Permanent sickness or the type of sickness that will aggravate health conditions by not eating, drinking or requiring regular medication (e.g. tuberculosis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer treatment, etc.);
4. Women undergoing post-natal care 
5. Pregnant and lactating women due to health reasons 
6. Children below the age of puberty are not obliged
7. Mentally-challenged people;

But for 1-2, there is a caveat: They need to compensate by fasting once they are already in their normal condition or recovery.

To my Muslim friends, a Blessed Ramadan to all!

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