What is Ramadhan?

According to Darul Uloom of Trinidad and Tobago:
 Saturday, May 27, 2017
For St. Kitts and Nevis, Taraweeh will be after Isha (8:15pm) in the Prayer Rooms of Angelus
(rooms 113/114)

How to Participate

  1. The intentions of each daily fast are made the night before during Tarawih.
  2. A pre-dawn meal is consumed to give a person energy for the day. This meal is called "suhoor." Throughout the day, intake of any kind is prohibited such as eating, drinking, smoking, etc, or else the fast becomes invalid.
  3. ​The next meal is enjoyed at "iftaar," which occurs once the sun has set. 
Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is part of the five pillars, or obligations, of a believer of Islam. The remaining four pillars of Islam are:
  • Saying the Shahadah (proclaiming faith)
  • Giving Zakat (charity)
  • Performing Salat (five daily prayers)
  • Performing Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) 
Millions of your Muslim brothers and sisters from around the world participate in a fast which lasts throughout all of Ramadhan, which is the name of one of the 12 Islamic months. This fast has been prescribed onto us by Allah, the arabic word for God, and is considered to be the holiest month and time throughout the entire year. During this time, the aim is to bring yourself closer to Allah by distancing yourself from wordly desires. This allows you to focus on and analyse your inner self, pinpoint the habits that may be harmful physically, mentally, and/or spiritually, and make a change.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) stated, "Fasting is a shield," and also mentioned, "Whoever spends the month of Ramadhan in complete faith and self-rectification, his previous sins will be forgiven."
​In this month, those who are fasting abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, sexual activity, or any negative behaviour (such as backbiting, swearing, and rudeness) from sunrise to sunset. Not following this causes that day's fast becomes invalid, and the person will have to make up for this fast. Preparation for a day of fasting begins the night before by performing a special set of prayers called 'Tarawih.' Tarawih is prayed every night throughout Ramadhan in order to renew our intentions of fasting for the next day. It is also during these prayers in which the Quraan is recited at a pace which allows it to be read completely from start to finish.

However, if a person is on medications that must be taken between sunrise and sunset, then it is advised to first try to change the timings of the medications so that taking them does not break the fast. If changing the medication timing is not possible, or a person has a health condition which could cause more harm by fasting, then fasting is not obligatory upon them.

The importance of Fasting, and its effects on the body:
The Quraan was revealed during the month of Ramadhan, making this a very important month in the Islamic calendar. It naturally allows a person's spirituality to be strengthened, bringing them closer to Allah with heightened devotion and more heart-filled prayers.

​Just the act of fasting causes you to reschedule your day, improving productivity, distracting you from the grievances in your life and protecting you from anger or depression. By avoiding negative behaviour, you can afford a peace of mind with clear and rational thoughts, and you are able to better manage emotions. It reveals opportunities for you to forgive, let go, and focus on the important things in life. 

​Ramadhan itself serves as a reminder for how lucky you are as a person, enabling you to reflect on the blessings you have been given throughout your life and the blessings you possess at the moment. It awakens compassion towards others, and moreso with those who are less fortunate and poor. It creates opportunities for a person to develop qualities of endurance to reduce anger, improve self-control to stop yourself from speaking harsh words, and increase the health of your body. Though eating less allows you to combat over-eating and laziness, it is not an excuse 
to delay your responsibilities.  It stops your mind from becoming a slave to your desires.

May Ramadhan elevate everyone's sprituality, and have their fasts and prayers be accepted by Allah! (ameen)
Do you have questions regarding Ramadhan, or Islam in general? Send us an email at [email protected] and ask as many questions as you'd like!

Want to sponsor an iftaar during Ramadhan?

Once again St. Kitts Windsor MSA is doing their best to host daily iftaars for the Muslim community! However your support is needed to make sure your Muslim brothers and sisters have food to break fast with everyday throughout Ramadhan. You can help out by sponsoring a day during Ramadhan, and you can do this without even being on St. Kitts! Please contact the treasurer Arslan Tahir, at stkitts.msafinance@gmail.com, to send money by means such as Western Union or wire transfers. Remember, it is $200 USD per iftaar! Sponsoring via PayPal will be available soon inshaAllah.
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