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| AP Photo Achieve |
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| Muslim women worshippers pray inside the golden Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, during the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. |
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Latter-day Saints fast for 24 hours each month; Muslims fast only during the daylight, but they fast for days during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Muslims in Eastern Nations began to fast on Oct. 4, when leaders sighted a new crescent moon. Ramadan begins with a crescent moon.
Ramadan is the ninth of twelve Islamic months. The Islamic calendar is based on the moon. Ramadan begins when the new crescent moon is sighted, ending the previous month. The faithful fast for 29 to 30 days until the next crescent moon is sighted.
According to www.arabicnews.com, “The Sharia council and religious commissions in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Libya and Sudan announced the beginning of the fasting month … Tuesday.”
Muslims around the world began to fast around that date depending on the sighting of the moon in their region.
Fasting is a central practice in Islam.
According to Discover Islam.org found at www.dislam.org, “Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan is one of the foremost of the five pillars of Islam, as well as being among the greatest of the symbols of Islam.”
Tajuddin B. Shu’aib in his book Essentials of Ramadan, The Fasting Month explains that during Ramadan, practicing Muslim adults are asked to abstain from food or drink during the daylight hours.
“The Islamic fasting is total abstinence from any food particles passing through the mouth or nose, as well as drinks of any kind—water, milk, juices, etc … during the day that commences from the break of dawn till sunset,” said Shu’aib.
According to www.dislam.org, one reason Muslims fast during Ramadan is because it is the month in which Mohammad received the Quran.
“Fasting during Ramadan has a connection also with the revelation of the holy Quran. As is generally known, the Quran began to be revealed in Ramadan.”
A Muslim fast requires the practitioner to do more than skip meals.
“The tongue, eyes, ears and other limbs are equally obligated to be restrained if the faster wants to gain the total rewards of fasting,” according to Shu’aib.
Latter-day Saints are not the only group that fasts for religion. When the hunger pangs come next fast Sunday, Latter-day Saints can know they are not alone; Muslims are also fasting.
