There are many Islamic holidays. Ramadan is one of the holidays Muslims celebrate. It is the ninth month on the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. In many places around the world Muslims will be looking to the heavens on this evening. They will be looking to see if they will be able to see the crescent moon. If it is visible this will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. No fasting will begin until tomorrow morning. Then Muslims will get up early in the morning to eat their breakfast before they go out. Afterwards they will not eat or drink till nightfall. This will be their daily experience during the next 30 days.
On Eid-al-Fitr, Muslims end their 29 or 30 days of fasting with a celebration. This feast comes at the end of Ramadan and in many places begins a three-day holiday. In Jakarta, businesses and shops are closed and the usually gridlocked streets are nearly empty because about half the capital’s 12 million population of people leave the city for their hometowns.
Arafat Day is an important occasion during the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah or Hajj, it is the 9th day of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah and marks a significant day for Muslims, yet it is a day not so well known or talked about in the rest of the world. On the first day of the Hajj Pilgrimage, Muslims sweep out of Mecca toward Mina, a small uninhabited village east of the city. As their throngs spread through Mina, the pilgrims generally spend their time meditating and praying, as the Prophet did on his pilgrimage. During the second day, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims leave Mina for the plain of Arafat. The Prophet is reported to have asked Allah to pardon the sins of pilgrims who stood at Arafat, and was granted his wish. Thus, the hopeful pilgrims prepare to leave this plain joyfully, feeling reborn without sin and intending to turn over a new leaf.
In Arabic, Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Qur’an as, “better than a thousand months” (Sura 97:3). Al-Qadr means power and implies having power over something, particularly to Allah. The character of Allah is said to be excellence in power, capable, all powerful, almighty and also implies “high esteem” and thus the Night of Power is to be highly esteemed.
On Eid-al-Fitr, Muslims end their 29 or 30 days of fasting with a celebration. This feast comes at the end of Ramadan and in many places begins a three-day holiday. In Jakarta, businesses and shops are closed and the usually gridlocked streets are nearly empty because about half the capital’s 12 million population of people leave the city for their hometowns.
Arafat Day is an important occasion during the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah or Hajj, it is the 9th day of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah and marks a significant day for Muslims, yet it is a day not so well known or talked about in the rest of the world. On the first day of the Hajj Pilgrimage, Muslims sweep out of Mecca toward Mina, a small uninhabited village east of the city. As their throngs spread through Mina, the pilgrims generally spend their time meditating and praying, as the Prophet did on his pilgrimage. During the second day, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims leave Mina for the plain of Arafat. The Prophet is reported to have asked Allah to pardon the sins of pilgrims who stood at Arafat, and was granted his wish. Thus, the hopeful pilgrims prepare to leave this plain joyfully, feeling reborn without sin and intending to turn over a new leaf.
In Arabic, Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Qur’an as, “better than a thousand months” (Sura 97:3). Al-Qadr means power and implies having power over something, particularly to Allah. The character of Allah is said to be excellence in power, capable, all powerful, almighty and also implies “high esteem” and thus the Night of Power is to be highly esteemed.