Understanding Ramadan
In Summary
For many, the idea of missing a meal is something we would not do by choice however for our Muslim community, withdrawing from food and drink during the daylight hours is undertaken for one month each year for Ramadan and is considered a gift and a time of blessing and reflection.
Ramadan commemorates when the first verses of the Koran (Qu'ran) were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and is a special time for the Muslim community for prayer, fasting and renewal of faith.
Fasting is an important part of Ramadan as it helps draw Muslims closer to God. It is a time of self-examination, increased charity and increased religious devotion.
For many Muslins, it is common to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before sunrise and an evening meal (iftar) after sunset during Ramadan.
June 18 marks the start of Ramadan this year and our colleagues from the Swinburne Islamic Society have shared the attached summary to help us understand what Ramadan is and how we can support our Muslim colleagues and students.
At Swinburne we celebrate the diversity of our community and recognise the rights and responsibilities of all those within it.
We wish our Muslim colleagues a holy and blessed Ramadan as they journey through this spiritual period of prayer, fasting, philanthropy and self-accountability.
Ramadan Mubarak!
The information above was provided by Amir Anoushiravani, the Swinburne Islamic Society, and the Muslim Chaplain at Swinburne.
Download the Understanding Ramadan presentation (PDF, 139KB)