The holy month of Ramzan is a test of self-control and discipline.
In Saudi Arabia, a moon-seeing committee decides the beginning and the conclusion of Ramzan.
Ramzan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, starts today, March 24. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Throughout this month, Muslims make efforts to follow the path shown by God and serve humanity. A part of the earnings is donated to the poor, which also brings prosperity to their lives. On “Laylat al-Qadr,” one of the five odd-numbered nights that occur in the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran. This is believed to have occurred roughly 1,400 years ago.
The holy month of Ramzan is a test of self-control and discipline. It is practised to increase ‘taqwa, or awareness of God, and to physically and spiritually cleanse oneself by letting go of sin and desires. In Saudi Arabia, a moon-seeing committee decides the start and conclusion of Ramadan.
The new crescent moon is difficult to discern because it is so faint and only visible for a short period of time (20 minutes), therefore it starts the day after the committee notices it. When haze or clouds prevent the moon from being seen with the unaided eye, lunar calculations are employed to determine if the moon would be in the sky.
One of the most prominent practices during the month that most pious Muslims follow is a fast called ‘Roza’. One of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with daily prayer, a statement of one’s faith, charitable giving, and undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, is fasting throughout the month.
According to Al Jazeera, Muslims have been instructed to fast throughout Ramadan for more than 1,400 years. Muslims fast to raise awareness of the suffering of those who are less fortunate and to draw believers closer to God.
Muslims do not eat while the sun is still in the sky and thus eat a meal at dawn termed Sehri and a meal after sunset called Iftar. The timings differ in different cities in India. Here are the timings for Sehri and Iftar in major cities in India.
CITY SEHRI IFTAR
Delhi 05:06 AM 6:35 PM
Mumbai 05:29 AM 6:50 PM
Chennai 05:02 AM 6:20 PM
Kolkata 04:26 AM 5:48 PM
Noida 05:05 AM 6:34 PM
Gurgaon 05:07 AM 6:36 PM
Jaipur 05:13 AM 6:41 PM
Patna 04: 36 AM 6:02 PM
Jammu 05:12 AM 6:45 PM
Chandigarh 05:06 AM 6:37 PM
Indore 05:16 AM 6:41 PM
Ahmedabad 05:29 AM 6:52 PM
Hyderabad 05:08 AM 6:30 PM
Agra 05:01 AM 6:31 PM
Aligarh 05:00 AM 6:33 PM
Bareilly 04:45 AM 6:26 PM
Lucknow 04:49 AM 6;20 PM
Kanpur 04:52 AM 6:22 PM
Meerut 05:00 AM 6:33 PM
Prayagraj 04:47 AM 6:16 PM
