Рамадан: месяц поста и духовного очищения в исламе

Month long fasting event in Islam
the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, a month of fasting for Muslims

Ramadan (رَمَضَان ; also spelled Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer (salah), reflection, and community. A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation, the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Fasting from dawn to sunset is obligatory (fard) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding, diabetic, pregnant, or menstruating. The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar. Although rulings (fatawa) have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca, it is common practice to follow the timetable of the closest country in which night can be distinguished from day. Accordingly, during the hours of fasting, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also tobacco products, sexual relations, and sinful behavior, devoting themselves instead to prayer and study of the Quran.

The word Ramadan derives from the Arabic root R M Ḍ (ر م ض) "scorching heat", which is the Classical Arabic verb "ramiḍa (رَمِضَ)" meaning "become intensely hot – become burning; become scorching; be blazing; be glowing". Ramadan is thought of as one of the names of God in Islam by some, and as such it is reported in many hadiths that it is prohibited to say only "Ramadan" in reference to the calendar month and that it is necessary to say "month of Ramadan", as reported in Sunni, Shia and Zaydi sources. However, the report has been graded by others as Mawḍūʻ (fabricated) and inauthentic. and twenty fourth Ramadans, respectively. Muhammad is said to have received his first quranic revelation on Laylat al Qadr, one of five odd numbered nights that fall during the last ten days of Ramadan. Although Muslims were first commanded to fast in the second year of Hijra (624 CE), but rather has always been necessary for believers to attain fear of God (taqwa). They point to the fact that the pre Islamic pagans of Mecca fasted on the tenth day of Muharram to expiate sin and avoid drought. Philip Jenkins argues that the observance of Ramadan fasting grew out of "the strict Lenten discipline of the Syrian Churches," a postulation corroborated by other scholars, including theologian Paul Gordon Chandler, but disputed by some Muslim academics.

The first and last dates of Ramadan are determined by the lunar Islamic calendar. however, many prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent.

The Laylat al Qadr (لیلة القدر) or "Night of Power" is the night that Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down to the world, and Muhammad received his first quranic revelation from it. The night is considered to be the holiest night of the year. It is generally believed to have occurred on an odd numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan; the Dawoodi Bohra believe that Laylat al Qadr was the twenty third night of Ramadan.

The holiday of Eid al Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر), which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal, the next lunar month, is declared after a crescent new moon has been sighted or after completion of thirty days of fasting if no sighting of the moon is possible. Eid celebrates the return to a more natural disposition (fitra) of eating, drinking, and marital intimacy.

The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar. Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self discipline, motivated by hadith: "When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains."

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims abstain from sexual relations sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat). Exemptions from fasting include those traveling, menstruating, severely ill, pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Each day before dawn, Muslims observe a pre fast meal called the suhur. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr.

At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar, traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad's practice of breaking the fast with three dates. They then adjourn for Maghrib, the fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages. In the Middle East, iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal. Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea studded rice pilaf. Desserts may include lokma, baklava or knafeh. Over time, the practice of iftar has evolved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the largest mosque in the UAE, feeds up to thirty thousand people every night. Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

Zakat, often translated as "the poor rate", is the fixed percentage of income a believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many Muslims donate a larger portionor even allof their yearly zakat during this month.

Tarawih (تراويح) are extra nightly prayers performed during the month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory.

There are various health effects of fasting in Ramadan. Ramadan fasting is considered safe for healthy individuals; it may pose risks for individuals with certain pre existing conditions. Most Islamic scholars hold that fasting is not required for those who are ill. Additionally, the elderly and pre pubertal children are exempt from fasting. Pregnant or lactating women are also exempt from fasting during Ramadan. There are known health risks involved in pregnant women who fast, which include the potential of induced labour and gestational diabetes. There are some health benefits of fasting in Ramadan including increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin resistance. It has also been shown that there is a significant improvement in 10 years coronary heart disease risk score and other cardiovascular risk factors such as lipids profile, systolic blood pressure, weight, BMI and waist circumference in subjects with a previous history of cardiovascular disease. The fasting period is usually associated with modest weight loss, but weight can return afterwards. In many cultures, it is associated with heavy food and water intake during Suhur and Iftar times, which may do more harm than good. Ramadan fasting is safe for healthy people provided that overall food and water intake is adequate but those with medical conditions should seek medical advice if they encounter health problems before or during fasting. The education departments of Berlin and the United Kingdom have tried to discourage students from fasting during Ramadan, as they claim that not eating or drinking can lead to concentration problems and bad grades. A review of the literature by an Iranian group suggested fasting during Ramadan might produce renal injury in patients with moderate (GFR <60 ml/min) or severe kidney disease but was not injurious to renal transplant patients with good function or most stone forming patients. A study on 55 professional Algerian soccer players showed that performance during Ramadan declined significantly for speed, agility, dribbling speed and endurance, and most stayed low 2 weeks after the conclusion of Ramadan.

The length of the dawn to sunset time varies in different parts of the world according to summer or winter solstices of the Sun. Most Muslims fast for eleven to sixteen hours during Ramadan. However, in polar regions, the period between dawn and sunset may exceed twenty two hours in summer. For example, in 2014, Muslims in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Trondheim, Norway, fasted almost twenty two hours, while Muslims in Sydney, Australia, fasted for only about eleven hours. In areas characterized by continuous night or day, some Muslims follow the fasting schedule observed in the nearest city that experiences sunrise and sunset, while others follow Mecca time.

As sunrise and sunset occur sixteen times each a day in low Earth orbit, Muslim astronauts in space schedule religious practices around the time zone of the last place on Earth they were on. For example, this means an astronaut from Malaysia launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida would center their fast according to sunrise and sunset times in Cape Canaveral, in Florida's Eastern Time. This includes times for daily prayers, as well as sunset and sunrise for Ramadan.

Muslims continue to work during Ramadan; however, in some countries, such as Oman and Lebanon, working hours are shortened. It is often recommended that working Muslims inform their employers if they are fasting, given the potential for the observance to impact performance at work. The extent to which Ramadan observers are protected by religious accommodation varies by country. Policies putting them at a disadvantage compared to other employees have been met with discrimination claims in the United Kingdom and the United States. An Arab News article reported that Saudi Arabian businesses were unhappy with shorter working hours during Ramadan, some reporting a decline in productivity of 35–50%. The Saudi businesses proposed awarding salary bonuses in order to incentivize longer hours. Despite the reduction in productivity, merchants can enjoy higher profit margins in Ramadan due to increase in demand.