Whats the buzz with Ramadan?
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Muslim tradition, and is historically the month on which the Quran was revealed to Mohammed. In commemoration and compassion, Muslims maintain a month-long fast from sunrise to sunset, at which time they don’t eat, drink water, smoke or engage in worldly pleasure such as sex and the wearing of perfumes. In the evenings, families come together and break the fast with a large meal called Iftar. Ramadan comes at a different time each year because it follows the Islamic calendar instead of the Gregorian one. In 2009, Ramadan will begin August 22 and end September 21, and in 2010 it will begin August 12 and end September 10. (Each year, it starts eleven days prior than the previous year). The end of Ramadan is marked by the joyous festival Eid-al- Fitr, a national feast that lasts two to three days, and is accompanied by merry making and gift giving.
