The holiest month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan(Ramazan), in which the Koran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Whole month is considered as a blessed month by Muslims. According to a fatwa from the Caucasus Muslims Department, today is the first full day of Ramadan. It will end after 30 days on Thursday 9 September or Friday the 10th, depending on the visibility of the new moon. This year in North America Ramadan begins a day later on 12 August, again because of the visibility of the new moon. In the month of Ramadan, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Muslims spent this month by fasting during the daylight hours from sunrise to sunset and make special prayers at night. It is often thought that, fasting during this month burn away all the sins. Fasting is carried out as an offering to God and it is intended to teach Muslims the virtues of patience, humility and spirituality. The gates of Heaven would be open all the month and the gates of Hell would be closed and the devils chained up, told by the Prophet Muhammad to his followers. People also give more charity and do extra righteous deeds. Ramadan is the month of discipline and self-control as well as the month of celebration. In the Qu'ran, Allah proclaims that "fasting has been written down upon you, as it was upon those before you".

People who keep fast wake up in the darkness to eat pre-dawn meal called “sahur”. Eating and drinking must be stop by them before the dawn call to prayer, and must not break their fast until the fourth call to prayer at twilight. Muslims start their fast when they reach teenage years, as long as they are healthy. The chronically ill, the elderly and the mentally ill are excused from fasting. Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance on new problems, and ask for help in refraining from everyday “evils”, during Ramadan. In the month of Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to try to read the entire Qur’an. The end of the fasting period of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr and the first day of the following month, which is called Shawwal. When the fasting is over, celebrations are held and to say the first Eid prayer Muslims go to their mosques in their best clothes. They greet their friends and families and give presents to the children. They serve food to the poor people and banquet is held in the evening.

2010 Timetable of Ramadan in India:

For U.K. 2010 timetable of Ramadan, visit www.ramadantimetable.co.uk

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