Re: MONTH of fasting?
Posted by Eliz. R. on December 09, 1999 at 19:50:55:
In Reply to: Re: MONTH of fasting? posted by Natasha Papousek on December 09, 1999 at 19:12:18:
It is definitely based on a lunar month, which starts when someone
sights the first slim crescent of the growing moon. (I used to work
where I got a lot of calls near the end of Ramadan, asking "When will
the Moon be born?" ...the new moon can be accurately predicted, but
the sighting of the crescent can't be predicted well.) Because there
aren't an even number of lunar months in a solar year, the time of
Ramadan progresses around the solar calendar. Some people feel this
is good, because then sometimes Ramadan is in winter (short time
between sunrise & sunset if you're far enough from the equator).
I don't recall the reasons behind Ramadan; my focus is the astronomy.
I do know a few of the rules: People can be exempt from the fasting
if it causes undue hardship (pregnacy, hard physical labor, etc.),
although few will eat standard meals during the month. There is
generally a "break-fast" shortly after sunset, and a feast after the
month ends. (Try preparing for a feast when you don't know which day
it'll be!) Also, if you start Ramadan in one place and then change
time zones or cross the International Date Line, you generally stay
with the calendar you started with (no cheating).
Catherine has a page with a band that includes moon phases. I've been
trying to translate lunar images into a henna design (so the "face" or
"rabbit" show up) but have not yet succeeded.
- Ramadan = revelation of Koran Eliz. 20:02:06 12/09/99
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