Ramadan Central

Ramadan is a significant and memorable time for Muslims worldwide. It is not only a month for sawm (fasting) from sunrise to sunset but an opportunity for spiritual growth, reflection, and increasing family ties.

Ramadan has been the Islamic holy month for over a thousand years. Millions of Muslims participate in this month by attending Taraweeh at their local mosques or hosting community Iftars. However, some Muslims do not know the history of Ramadan or why it is so important in Islam.

As we near the blessed month of Ramadan, we must focus on what we can improve physically and spiritually. Ramadan provides a great opportunity to get closer to Allah and to build good habits that will increase our deen and make us better people.

Since Ramadan is around the corner, this is the perfect time to focus on creating an atmosphere that makes this blessed month meaningful, memorable, and exciting for our children. How we make Ramadan special will depend largely on their level of participation.

As much as Ramadan is about building individual God-consciousness (Quran 2:183), its community spirit is undeniable. The blessed month of fasting brings Muslims from virtually every strata of our community together and in contact with each other.

Clichés express our common belief and ideas.

We are in the midst of the most sacred month of the year and while we strive to fill our days and nights with worship, strengthen our faith, and purify our intentions in the hopes of attaining taqwa or God-consciousness, we must not forget to give attention to building our character.