Ramadan 2009 AD / 1430 H

Muslims in this region will begin the fasting month on the 22nd August, this Saturday. Here is the schedule for the Sarawak's Zone 2 imsak and breaking of fast year 1430 Hijra. Happy fasting.

Click here to download Sarawak Zone 2 fasting schedule 2009 (NIAH, BEKENU, MIRI, SIBUTI, MARUDI)

If you are not in Zone 2, you can simply Google your territory.

For those unfamiliar with the puasa/fasting concept, or simply thought it's all about not eating for a month, below are the basic info. If you prefer to stick to your stereotyping mindset on why Muslims fast, leave now. If you are interested in learning some more, take a few minutes to check it out:

History:
Fasting is an ancient and universal practice. The Romans, the Babylonians, the Cynic, Stoic, Pythagorean and Neo-Platonist philosophers commended fasting. The followers of Hinduism, Jainism, Confucianism, and Zoroastrianism practice it. The Jews observe an annual fasting on the day of atonement in commemoration of the descent of Moses from Sinai after spending forty days of fasting in order to be able to receive revelation. Jesus observed fasting for forty days in the desert and commanded his followers to fast. In brief, the practice of fasting has been common in one form or the other in all human societies.

Source: Holy Ramadan

Prior to his flight to Medina (known as Hijra), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was in the habit of fasting three times per month when he was in Mecca and to a great extent when he settled in Medina. Not long, the Prophet(s.a.w) soon discovered that the Jews in Medina used to set aside one special day for fasting. The Prophet(s.a.w) then asked the Jews about the significance of the day. He was told that it is the day Allah helped Prophet Musa(a.s) (a.k.a Moses) to humiliate, defeat and drown the tyrant, Fir'aon. By all standard, since Musa(a.s) was a prophet of Allah and of course a Muslim, the Prophet(s.a.w) felt that Musa(a.s) was nearer to him as a Prophet than to the Jews. To this end, he ordered his companions to fast along with him that day.

Source: Abdullateef Bello

Concept:
In the holy month of Ramadan, a Muslim's abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, etc., during the prescribed hours is the very manifestation of obedience to the Creator's will. Fasting constitutes a process of self-purification, self-righteousness, and spiritual development of one self.

Ham: Basically Muslims cannot do the mentioned things from break of dawn til sunset. After sunset it's okay to eat, have sex etc. Also, during Ramadan Muslims are abstained from indulging themselves in pleasurable activities such as checking out girls, talking shit, sleeping too much, procrastinating with assignments, spending too much on buying stuff and wasting too much time on Facebook. I may have made a few people terasa.

Health Issues:
Fasting in Islam is not prescribed to cause undue hardship. The Divine principle, as specified in the Holy Quran: (On no soul does God place a burden greater than it can bear...) (2:286). Hence several people will be exempted from fasting.

Ham: Should a person is unable to fast during Ramadan, the person must replace the missed fast on a later date if he/she is well-bodied.

Exemptions:
People who are exempted from fasting includes:

a) Persons traveling and the ill whose illness can be made worse by fasting. It is not recommended for such people to fast but if they do so, it will be accepted from them. If they choose to heed the recommendation and not fast, they must fast an equal number of days after Ramadan to make up for the days they missed.

b) Menstruating women and women with post-partum bleeding are not allowed to fast and it will not be considered valid if they do. But they also must make up for the days in which they did not fast.

c) Pregnant and nursing women, if they fear that fasting can be harmful to their children or to themselves, need not fast. If they don’t fast, they must make up for the days on which they break the fast. In addition, they must feed a poor person for every day that they broke their fast if they broke it because they feared only for the health of their children.

d) People who are not capable of fasting, either due to old age or incurable diseases, are not to fast. It is enough for them to feed one poor person for each of the days in which they fail to fast. The more people they feed the better.

Source: islaam.com

Salam Ramadan!