Ramadhan: A time for reflection and community

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

- AMENAH F. PANGANDAMAN

As the crescent moon rises, I join my Muslim brothers and sisters worldwide, including the more than seven million Muslim Filipinos, in observing the holy month of Ramadhan.For us Muslims, Ramadhan is one of the holiest months. It commemorates the time when the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It begins in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar with the sighting of the Waxing Crescent Moon, signifying the beginning of the new lunar month. Lasting 29 or 30 days, the month concludes at sunset with the sighting of the next Crescent Moon, the first day of Shawwal, or the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, when Eid al-Fitr is observed.

For those who may not know, Ramadhan comes from the Arabic word "ar-ramad," meaning "scorching heat." This is because, just as the sun's intense heat evaporates water from the ground's surface, Ramadhan burns away one's sins. This spiritual heat purifies and molds us to be better human beings. It is, therefore, a month of heightened devotion to Allah for Muslims worldwide, marked by prayer, reflection, and fasting.

As a Muslim with deep Maranao roots, faith for our family was woven into our daily life—into how we treat guests, how we speak to elders, how we approach responsibility. Ramadhan, in particular, carries a special energy. As children, we did not fully understand the spiritual depth of fasting, but we understood its importance because we saw how seriously the adults around us observed it.