Ramzan begins, Muslims in Kerala to fast from dawn to sunset from March 12

Muslims in Kerala begin fasting for Ramzan, the holiest month in Islam, with prayers, abstinence, and community gatherings.

Muslims in Kerala will fast from dawn to sunset beginning Tuesday as the Ramzan newmoon was sighted at some places, including Ponnani, on Monday evening. Major Kazis (Islamic legal scholars) confirmed the sighting of the Ramzan crescent.

The ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, Ramzan, is the holiest month for Muslims. They fast during the day, recite the Koran, and attend different prayer sessions, including Tharaveeh and Witr.

Ramzan fasting is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that it was in Ramzan that God began and concluded revealing the Koran to Prophet Mohammed in different phases. They believe that the gates of heaven will be open and the gates of hell will be closed during Ramzan.

Islam says that all Muslims should fast during Ramzan; but there are exemptions for children, expecting and breast-feeding mothers, women who are menstruating, the elderly, and those with health conditions.

Abstinence, however, is not restricted to food and water alone. Those fasting should stay away from smoking, sexual relations, and several other temporal engagements which are considered negative. “Fasting is for the purification of the body and mind. It brings people closer to God,” said Madin Academy chairman Syed Ibrahim Khaleel Bukhari.

In a statement here on Monday, the Kerala Muslim Jamat asked the Muslim community not to restrict Ramzan only to temporal fasting. “We should rebuild ourselves by controlling our words and actions, especially on social media,” it said.

Muslims generally suspend social functions such as marriages and housewarming receptions during Ramzan. However, they use Iftar gatherings to promote social get-togetherness. They become more active at night with prayers and meetings than during the day.