Its fasting month again....

The whole of September (Ramadhan month in muslim calendar) Muslim communities all over the world will be fasting starting before sunrise to sunset in the evening. Nothing can be consumed. The fasting month is not a test of just staying away from eating and drinking for the whole day. It is a test in every single aspect of the way of life of Muslims from the word they utter, the way they behave and their state of mind, especially on whatever they are thinking as well as each and every part of their body's behavior. God knows whatever each of us think and even intend to do.

That's why most of the pious Muslims don't speak much during fasting month. They rather spend most of their time in mosque praying to God. Thinking of God at all times protects each of us from going into the wrong path.

After break fasting and after performing Magrib and Isyak prayers, Muslims will carry out Solat Terawih. This solat (prayers) is not compulsory (wajib) but a Sunnah ( choice given, if you do you will get reward (pahala) and if don't do you will get nothing). The solat terawih differs from mosque to mosque, some will carry out prayers for 20 + 3 raka'at and some places 18+3 and some 8+3. Again in some mosques the shorter surah of the Holy Quran will be recited during prayers where as in some mosques they recite from the starting verses until the end of the Quran within the 30 days of the fasting month (complete reciting the whole Quarn in 30 days).

Some do extra fasting for six days starting the second day of Syawal after they have celebrated eid mubarak on the first day of Syawal (muslim month).

The fasting although a religious duty (ibadah) scientifically, pyschologically, culturally and socially is a good pratice for any individual either he is a Muslim or non-Muslim. The human body can rest a certain period of time in a day during that one month, resulting in less work or cooling-off period for the body. The perosn can aslo reduce his weight if he is overweight. Mentally and culturally you tend to do good deeds and avoid all the bad things.

Note: To all muslim readers - a happy and prosperous eid-mubarak