Yesterday as the sun set and people finished their Maghrib prayers, we entered into the ninth month of the Islamic calendar – Ramadan, the month of fasting and the month of the Quran. It was in Ramadan that  the  the Qur’an was revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him), the spiritual book of guidance to the world’s billion or so Muslims. The Qur’an says of this time:

“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days [as in they are exempt from fasting and can make fasts at a later date]. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful”. The Quran, the Chapter of the Cow (Surah al Baqarah) 2:185.

So why fast? The Quran explains that Ramadan is a time for Muslims to understand Islam and what it guides us to, so that we make a special effort to worship Allah and be grateful for the gifts and life we have been given.