Holy fasting month of Ramzan from tomorrow in Kashmir

The holy fasting month of Ramzan will commence from tomorrow in the Kashmir valley, where authorities have announced uninterrupted power supply to people though the prices of essentials, particularly vegetables, remained high.

As no moon was sighted yesterday anywhere in the country, including Kashmir valley, today is the last day of Islamic calendar month of Shaban.

Tomorrow will be the first day of holy month Ramzan when people observe fasting for entire day from dawn to dusk.

A person cannot even drink water during entire period.

However, the prices of essentials, particularly vegetables, has increased further and there is shortage of water in many areas in the valley, including summer capital, Srinagar.

Prices of vegetables has witnessed Rs five to Rs ten increase during the past one week, while meat was being sold at Rs 400 per kg against the government approved rate of Rs 280.

There is also no fixed rate for chicken which is being sold at Rs 110 to Rs 130, depend upon the area.

Rates of dates has also witnessed increase as compared to last year.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government has already announced to purchase additional power to provide uninterrupted power supply to people during the holy month in the Kashmir valley and peak summer period in Jammu region.

However, people complained that power supply frequently gets disrupted because the transmissions are not functioning properly due to rotten and damaged wooden poles, particularly in the Budshah Nagar, Natipora area, which is a part of Amira Kadal constituency represented by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) minister Syed Altaf Ahmad Bukhari.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has directed the Power Development Department (PDD) officers to ensure that the consumers of the valley get adequate supply of power especially in view of the ensuing month of Ramzan.

He asked the officers to ensure that the consumers of the valley get the requisite and adequate supply of power during Sehri and Iftiyar times.

Dr Singh said that the additional power should also be purchased to meet any shortfall during the month and maintained that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has also passed the requisite directions as well.

What is Ramzan, why do Muslims fast all day?

Millions of Muslims around the world will mark the start of Ramzan on Thursday, a month of intense prayer, dawn to dusk fasting and nightly feasts. Here’s a look at some questions and answers about Islam’s holiest month.

Why do Muslims fast?

The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate. Muslims often donate to charities during the month and feed the hungry.

Fasting is an exercise in self—restraint. It’s seen as a way to physically and spiritually detoxify by kicking impulses like morning coffee, smoking and midday snacking.

Ramzan is a time to detach from worldly pleasures and focus on one’s prayers. Many Muslims dress more conservatively during Ramzan and spend more time at the mosque than at any other time of the year.

Fasting during Ramzan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity, and performing the hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

How do Muslims fast?

Observant Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk for the entire month of Ramzan, with a single sip of water or a puff of a cigarette considered enough to invalidate the fast.

Muslim scholars say it’s not enough to just avoid food and drinks during the day, though. Spouses must abstain for sexual intercourse during the day, and Muslims should not engage in road rage, cursing, fighting or gossiping.

Muslims are also encouraged to observe the five daily prayers on time and to use their downtime just before breaking their fast at sunset to recite Quran and intensify remembrance of God.

To prepare for the fast, Muslims eat what is commonly called “suhoor,” a pre-dawn meal of power foods to get them through the day.

How do Muslims break their fast?

Muslims traditionally break their fast like the Prophet Muhammad did some 1,400 years ago, with a sip of water and some dates at sunset. That first sip of water is by far the most anticipated moment of the day.

After a sunset prayer, a large feast known as “iftar” is shared with family and friends. Iftar is a social event as much as it is a gastronomical adventure. Across the Arab world, juices made from apricots are a staple at Ramzan iftars. In South Asia and Turkey, yogurt—based drinks are popular.

Across the Muslim world, mosques and aid organizations set up tents and tables for the public to eat free iftar meals every night of Ramzan.

Can Muslims be exempted from fasting?

Yes. There are exceptions for children, the elderly, the sick, women who are pregnant or menstruating and people traveling, which could include athletes during tournaments.

Many Muslims, particularly those who live in the US and Europe, are accepting and welcoming of others around them who are not observing Ramzan. They also are not expecting shorter work hours, as is the case in the public sector across much of the Arab world during Ramzan.

However, non—Muslims or adult Muslims who eat in public during the day can be fined or even jailed in some Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, home to large Western expat populations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, minority Chinese Uighur Muslims complain of heavy restrictions by the Communist Party, such as bans on fasting by party members, civil servants, teachers and students during Ramzan, as well as generally enforced bans on children attending mosques, women wearing veils and young men growing beards.

What are some Ramzan traditions?

Typically, the start of the month is welcomed with greetings such as “Ramzan mubarak!” Another hallmark of Ramzan is nightly prayer at the mosque among Sunni Muslims called “taraweeh.”

In Egypt, a common sight during Ramzan is a lantern called the “fanoos,” which is often the centerpiece at an iftar table and can be seen hanging in window shops and balconies.

In the Arabian Gulf countries, wealthy sheikhs hold “majlises” where they open their doors for people to pass by all hours of the night for food, tea, coffee and conversation.

Increasingly common are Ramzan tents in five—star hotels that offer lavish and pricey meals from sunset to sunrise. While Ramzan is a boon for retailers in the Middle East and South Asia, critics say the holy month is increasingly becoming commercialized.

Scholars are also disturbed by the proliferation of evening television shows during Ramzan. In Pakistan, live game shows give away gifts promoting their sponsors. In the Arab world, monthlong soap operas starring Egypt’s top actors rake in millions of dollars in advertising.

How do Muslims mark the end of Ramzan?

The end of Ramzan is marked by intense worship as Muslims seek to have their prayers answered during “Laylat al—Qadr” or “the Night of Destiny.” It is on this night, which falls during the last 10 nights of Ramzan, that Muslims believe that God sent the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad and revealed the first versus of the Quran.

Some devout Muslims go into reclusion those final days, spending all of their time in the mosque.

The end of Ramzan is celebrated by a three—day holiday called Eid al—Fitr. Children often receive new clothes, gifts and cash.

Muslims attend early morning Eid prayers the day after Ramzan. Families usually spend the day at parks and eating — now during the day.