Muslims on the island and those living around the world started their annual fast on Tuesday evening. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
The annual observance of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Fasting from sunrise to sunset is obligatory for all adult Muslims with some exceptions.
“To observe Ramadan means to stay away from all that is evil. When we fast we not only stay away from food and water. Our tongues fast, our hearts fast, our thinking too,” shared Razia Abrahim. This is the tenet she learned from her grandfather and that she and her husband are passing to their children.
The festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may be observed on May 12, marks the end of Ramadan at the sighting of the crescent new moon.
