During the holy month of Ramadan was when Allah (SWT) gave Prophet Muhammad (S) the Holy Qur'an. One day, Muhammad had a vision in which the angel Jibril told him how Allah wanted people to live. The Allah's words were revealed to Muhammad through the angel over a period of 23 years, and the words were written down to form the Qur'an. We celebrate Ramadan to remember this very special month.

Ramadan is a time when we fast during the daylight hours. We go without food or drink until sundown. Instead of feeding our bodies, we pray and read the Qur'an. We also make extra effort not to say or listen to anything harmful. These things make us feel closer to Allah, and also remind us of people who may not have enough to eat.

Every day during Ramadan, Muslim families wake up before the sun rises to eat a meal together. This meal is called Suhur. It is the only thing we eat until the evening. After Suhur, everyone offers the Fajr prayer together. Even young children should fast at least a few days during Ramadan. Many kids also give up eating their favorite foods and try to improve themselves by avoiding bad habits.

Muslims should try to read the entire Qur'an during the month of Ramadan. It is important to know that all five daily prayers should be offered as well, or the day's fasting has no meaning at all.

When the sun sets, we break our fast by drinking water and eating dates. Then we offer the Maghrib prayer together. Afterwards, everyone enjoys a delicious meal called Iftar.

Remember that fasting during Ramadan is REQUIRED of Muslims once they reach the age of puberty, or between the ages of 11 and 15 (the same time that the five prayers become a requirement). Ramadan is a time when Muslims give up some of their personal comforts to become closer to Allah. It is a time to remember the important teachings that Allah (SWT) gave to our dear Prophet (S). Those teachings include respecting and understanding others, and remembering those who are less fortunate.

EID MUBARAK!

The month of Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. Its a time for us to celebrate the end of fasting. This holiday is so important that many Muslims in the west. take a day off from work or school to celebrate with their families.

Everyone rises early for the prayer ceremony at their masjids and parks, wearing new clothes. Afterwards, families visit each other and exchange good wishes. The handshakes and hugs after the prayer are a wonderful mark of love toward others. Eid gives everyone a feeling of brotherliness, and all bad feelings toward fellow Muslims should be wiped clean so we can all start fresh.

Decorating our homes for Eid is fun for us to do with our parents, and we can even make our own Eid cards or gifts!

Children sometimes receive gifts, candy, or money. But we should also remember that Eid is not about such gifts, it is really a time to remember Allah and to feel the joy that comes to us once we meet obligations toward Him. If you participate in the fasting, the celebration becomes even more meaningful!