Brief explanation of Ramadan

Ramadan in Germany in 2019 is the monthly period each year in which believers of Islam show respect to their God through certain practices. For each individual, particularly depending on where they come from, Ramadan can be slightly different, but Muslims around the world participate in Ramadan at the same time with the same faith.

Some traditions of Ramadan are central to the celebration, such as fasting from sunrise to sunset, praying regularly, sleeping a lot less, and eating with fellow Muslims during the night. 

The exact timing of Ramadan changes annually, as it always begins roughly 10 days before it did the previous year.

Various preparations for Ramadan

Ramadan is undoubtedly a moment of solidarity for Muslims. It is natural to begin talking about Ramadan together as it approaches. This dialogue could be reminiscing over how Ramadan was the previous year, sharing the moments to look forward to of smoking shisha with friends, considering how to balance work or studies with Ramadan at the same time, or explaining to friends the purpose of Ramadan and how it works.

Recently at the Excellence center, Ramadan has been a reoccurring topic in conversation, such as how it will change work timetables slightly, and be an eventful month of solidarity.  Hearing motivations for why Muslims practice Ramadan has also been explained, see below.

Physical preparations may also be made; the jump of going from eating regularly and freely to Ramadan is challenging and requires adaptation. Before Ramadan begins, it is possible to start to adapt the body by eating less and less throughout the day or even starting to only eat before and after a certain period in the day.

Some may limit themselves to 2 meals a day before Ramadan or cut down on addictive substances like caffeine which one cannot any longer be reliant on during Ramadan.

Why practice Ramadan?- a discussion at the Excellence Cente

“And it is better for you that you fast, if you only knew.” (Q 2:184)

Ramadan is a way to build a better life. It is easy to become overwhelmed by stress, but Ramadan helps you to take control of how you live. It is a moment to take time for yourself to reflect on the past and your actions. When you are in a state of fasting, you come to think more about everything you do because of this sense of control which comes with eating at set times.

Every human makes mistakes, but Ramadan is a time to think about reducing them and choosing how to live. It is much more than just eating only under moonlight; it is the maintenance of a controlled mental state.

From a scientific point of view, it takes 22 days to form a habit. In this way, Ramadan is the time to introduce positive changes in your life to carry on living well afterwards. The consciousness of time and routine becomes essential in Ramadan because of the set periods for eating, encouraging participants to live in a way that leads them to make the most of each hour of the day.

Ramadan in Germany 2019 can be used to purify the body and treat it with the nourishment and respect it deserves. It instills the habit of eating proper meals rather than snacking and listening to what the body needs. This also boosts one’s metabolism.

Ramadan is significant for making participants feel compassion for those who are in a position when they are uncertain about when they will eat their next meal as they feel real hunger also. This is a humbling experience leading to an awareness of the danger of over-consumption and food waste.

While Ramadan in Germany in 2019 can be viewed as a great challenge, it is reported that fasting is easy when you have the mental power to understand why it is important to complete it

Final remark

A lot of control, humility, and growth can be learned from the pious practice of Ramadan in Germany in 2019. Ramadan is for stability and regeneration. This year, Ramadan shall commence on the 6^th of May, finishing on the 4^th of June. The Excellence Centre will be reporting on celebrating Ramadan throughout the month.