Muslims take 30 days to reflect: five questions about Ramadan | NOW

Most of the 900,000 Muslims in the Netherlands start Ramadan on Tuesday. What is the significance of this month of fasting? And what’s different because of the corona lockdown?

When exactly does Ramadan start?

The era in Islam is according to the phases of the moon; Ramadan starts when a new moon is visible. “Globally, it is clear when that will happen,” says Maurits Berger, professor of Islam in the West at Leiden University. “But it can differ. Who decides when the moon is visible? And if Dutch Muslims come from Morocco or Indonesia and stick to those lunar times, there is some difference between them.”

Muhsin Köktas of the Contact Organ Muslims and Government (CMO), which represents 380 mosques in the Netherlands, explains that roughly half of the Muslims do not look at the phases of the moon, but use a practical calculation. “That group assumes that Ramadan will start this year on Tuesday morning, April 13, at sunrise. The first prayer is the night before.”

How many Muslims celebrate Ramadan in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands has 900,000 Muslims. “Ramadan is very important for most people in this group,” Berger explains. “By far the majority participate in Ramadan in some form. It is also an important celebration to celebrate with family or friends: in that respect you can compare it to thirty days of Christmas.”

Ramadan, like many aspects of religion, is a personal experience, emphasizes the CMO’s Köktas. “Sick people, pregnant women, children up to the age of 11 and people traveling may decide not to participate. No one is required to fast for 30 days during the day, especially when it could have serious physical consequences. But this group passes the test. period later in the year, when they are healthy again, usually in. “

What is celebrated during Ramadan?

Muslims are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke or have sex from sunrise to sunset. It is a month of reflection, in which Muslims learn to restrain themselves and realize what they have in life.

It is also a period in which extra expression is given to tolerance, generosity, charity and togetherness. “Many people also make donations during Ramadan or give food to people in the area who need it,” explains Köktas. “Many mosques also set up central campaigns to distribute food parcels.”

Is it hard to fast every day?

In the summer months it is more intense than in the spring, because the days last longer, explains Köktas of the CMO. “But at the same time, Muslims are used to enduring such a period every year. It is less difficult when you think about other people in the world who are always hungry or not as well as we are.”

Because Ramadan can never be fixed at a fixed period in the calendar year, it may happen that some Muslims have to fast at busy or stressful times. “A few years ago, some students who took their final exams had a tough time,” says Professor Berger as an example.

“Or take Muslims in Scandinavia, when Ramadan coincides with the summer months and sometimes it does not get dark for weeks. A solution in such cases is to stick to Mecca’s Ramadan hours.” Berger also cites Muslims who are on a mission abroad as an example. “Incidentally, it is mainly non-Muslims who see these situations as problematic. Muslims themselves mainly see it as something they undergo themselves and is their own choice.”

What is being adjusted to Ramadan because of Corona?

The mosques are currently closed, fully in accordance with the corona rules, says Köktas. “Some parts of Ramadan cannot take place, such as the joint iftar meals with friends and family members. With that, Ramadan is celebrated after sunset in a normal year. But within the community there is every understanding: health comes first. Being together is important, but faith can also shape you in a more personal way. “

It is also possible that more is possible after April 20, when the curfew may be lifted. “In that case, of course, the one-and-a-half meter rules continue to apply, which are already in force throughout the year. But then again, for example, within all restrictions, a collective evening prayer or a gathering with larger groups is possible.”

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