Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which has special important for the Islamic world, is coming. According to the legend, the first revelations of Koran have been sent to Prophet Mohammed these days.

In Turkmenistan, the beginning of Ramadan is defined by the Head Mufti of the country and its beginning is reminded by children who go around the houses and perform well-intentioned poems receiving sweets for this on the threshold of the fasting.

Daily fasting, when true believers shall refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, entertaining and other, which interferes with piety, is assigned during the month. It is thought that the history of Ramadan starts from the second year of Hegira (year of 622). One should hold its temper, behave nobly and make good deeds.

The meaning of Ramadan fasting is in spiritual growth and re-thinking of the way of life and its values by human being. Being one of five pillars of Islam, the fasting is required for all Muslims, however, those who cannot fast, for example, elderly or sick people, children, pregnant or breastfeeding women are exempted from fasting. If a Muslim cannot fast by some reason, then he has to give food to poor or give help to those who need it. Breaking the fast in order to give food to those who fast after the sunset is one of good things. The Muslims have also make money donation – a fitr.

The night before the 27th day of the Holy Month of Ramadan is filled with special meaning. It is called as Al-Kadr Night ( لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْر in Arabic) or the Night of Power as this was a night when the first verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. According to interpreters of Quran, the Al-Qadr verses are dedicated to this night. It says: “The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months. That night the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit1 descend, by the permission of their Lord, for every ˹decreed˺ matter. It is all peace until the break of dawn”.

It is thought that on the Night of Power, the Allah makes decisions on the destiny of every human being taking into account his piety and please expressed in prayers. Therefore, it is adopted to read the Quran and say prayers and please to the Allah and angels on the Night of Power and many true believers spend the night in mosques.

In Turkmenistan, this night is referred as to Gadyr gijesi and observed together with relatives and neighbors, with whom the treats cooked on this occasion are shared. Big pardoning actions are held on the government level in honor of the sacred Gadyr gijesi, which is also known as a Night of Might. This year, the night falls on May 8 – 9.

The sacred month and fasting are finished with the second important Muslim holiday – Eid Al-Fitr (Oraza Bayramy0, which starts with the sunrise on the last day of the fasting and lasts on the first and second of the next months.

Ogulgozel Rejepova