Ramadan Kareem 2023
- Category: Newsletter
Did you know that it will take 33 Gregorian years for Ramadan to occur during the same period of the year? As Ramadan depends on the lunar calendar, its beginning shifts when compared to the Gregorian Calendar for about 11 days. This implies that Ramadan will occur in the same Gregorian Calendar period every 33 years, and as the lunar calendar only holds 254 days, also every 33 Gregorian years, there will be two Ramadan observations (next will be in 2030).
It is on the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar, that Ramadan starts. The barely visible first sighting of the new crescent moon sets in motion this incredible journey in the life of all Muslims that lasts approximately 29 days. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic Calendar. It is a journey of devotion, reflection, commitment, surrender, altruism, beauty, and joy.
While originating during the 7th Century in Mecca, making
it the youngest of the great five religions in the world,
(Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism),
Islam, is the second largest religion after Christianity. In
fact, it is estimated that there are roughly 1.2-1.6 billion
Muslims around the world today, making the journey of
Ramadan within its uniqueness, an incredibly diverse
occasion.
During Ramadan, among other rules, Muslims must fast, abstaining
from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. As Muslims are
scattered around the globe the hours of fasting vary greatly. While in
Dubai the average number of fasting hours ranges from 10:41 h to
12:02 h, in Iceland it fluctuates from 21:16 h to 4:24 h. It is the time
when elders share cuisine recipes with younger generations,
traditional songs and poems are sang and recited, families and
friends share meals demonstrating solidarity. It is a time to inspire
all to be more selfless, generous, envision and embrace equality
and harmony.
Ramadan
Mubarak!
Sources
https://www.muslimaid.org/media-centre/blog/the-history-of-ramadan/
https://www.history.com/topics/religion/islam
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/muslim-population-by-country
https://www.slideshare.net/24Slides/ramadan-around-the-world
