Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, has officially begun.

By definition it’s “a period of fasting and spiritual growth”, and forms one of the five pillars of Islam – the other four being “the declaration of faith, daily prayer, alms-giving, and the pilgrimage to Mecca”.

That’s according to Quartz, who have outlined some of the basics for those who might not be in the loop.

First up – what happens during the month:

Able-bodied Muslims are expected to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month. Many practicing [sic] Muslims also perform additional prayers, especially at night, and attempt to recite the entire Qur’an (Koran). The prevailing belief among Muslims is that it was in the final 10 nights of Ramadan that the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad…

By abstaining from things that people tend to take for granted (such as water), it is believed, one may be moved to reflect on the purpose of life and grow closer to the creator and sustainer of all existence. As such, engaging in wrongdoing effectively undermines the fast. Many Muslims also maintain that fasting allows them to get a feeling of poverty, and this may foster feelings of empathy.

And why it is called Ramadan:

The Arabic term Ramadan connotes intense heat. It seems that in pre-Islamic Arabia, Ramadan was the name of a scorching hot summer month.

More from MuslimMatters:

Ramaḍān is taken from the word ramad which means that which is intensely or vehemently heated by the sun.  And the word ramdhaa means the intense heat of the sun. [The Arabs used to say about] the sheep that they were ‘burned (ramidat) while they were grazing under the scorching heat of the sun to the extent that their livers became damaged (by the intense heat of the sun). Ramaḍān was named such because it burns the sins of the believers.

What happens when the month comes to an end?

The end of Ramadan marks the beginning of one of two major Islamic holidays Eid al-Fitr, the “festival of the breaking of the fast.” On this day, many Muslims attend a religious service, visit relatives and friends, and exchange gifts.

If you want the rest of their overview check out the Quartz post HERE.

Ramadan Mubarak to all.

[sources:quartz&muslimmatters]