Ramadan 2024 in the Philippine
Living here in Cotabato City Philippines is actually being familiar with the customs and practices both of the Christians and Muslim residents. Yes, our city is occupied with almost equal numbers of residents from both religions. So the way we celebrate Christmas season in December, our fellow Muslim friends are also celebrating a special occasion called Ramadan.
I may not know it by exact details, but the way I understand with how my Muslim friends celebrate it, Ramadan season don’t have a specific date. They follow the Islamic Calendar which is a lunar calendar that is 11-12 days shorter than the tropical year. Their months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. That’s the very reason why every year, Ramadan season is earlier than it was the previous years. Since the beginning date would depend on the lunar sighting in a certain ****************, it is expected that Ramadan’s beginning and ending date is different among different countries.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic Calendar where Muslims believe the Holy Quran (Koran) was revealed. For Muslims, Quran is the word of God or Allah in Arabic that also consists of guidance for man of right and wrong. Fasting is one of the 5 Pillars of Islam which they practice during Ramadan. Yes, for the entire month they only eat dawn time (suhoor) before sunrise and spend the day without food and water intake and just break the fast by sunset (iftar) as following the custom of Prophet Muhammad. This is followed by the sunset prayer, then followed by dinner eating together as Ramadan is also about community aspects. Fasting or also called as Sawm, is to abstain eating and drinking that is obligatory to ADULT Muslims, but limited to the pregnant, sick person, those who are travelling, diabetic and female on their menstrual period. The kids that desire to practice can also fast, but not obligatory. I remember my friends would only restrain from food intake but are drinking water. Some are even fasting for as long as they could manage during the day, but would break their fast earlier than sunset. Aside from not eating and drinking, during fasting they are also to refrain from smoking, and engaging in sexual relations; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing.
Just like Christmas, this Holy Month of Ramadan is a time for them to increase offering of salat (prayers) and recite the Quran. They try to read the Quran as much as they can or listen to the Quran reading in the mosques. They also believe that the 27th night of Ramadan season is the Night of Power(Lailat ul-Qadr), so they spend the whole night praying. That this 1 night is even better than thousand nights.
The way I see it, the Ramadan season is a self-reflection, meditation, devotion and worship period for the Muslims. Because fasting is not only controlling one’s desires (of food, drink and sex) and focusing more on devoting oneself to God. Though they don’t have decorations hanged everywhere, lights, exchange gifts here, I have read that on other countries they also hang Ramadan lanterns. I know they celebrate it equally grand as how Christians celebrate the Christmas season.
In our office, the work time is supposed to be 8-12 then 1-5pm but my Muslim office mates should be working till 5:15pm. Why? Because for the Ramadan month, they will be allowed to go home by 3pm as per office consideration in the observance of the Holy Ramadan and their most sacred month. Some of our office mates are even allowed to take leave of absence every Friday of the whole month just as long as they have filed for it before the season. Then during snack time, we Christians would be eating on areas that are not visible by the Muslim office mates. It’s our way of respect for their convenience as they sacrifice not to eat the usual meal time.
الله غالب رمضــــآآنْ غلبني هههه
