Restraint

Now we know that during one month every year

muslims go without food and drink during the hours of daylight,

the month of Ramadhan,

and that the months of the muslim year have different names

to the months that we are familiar with in Scotland.

But the muslim months are very different from those months

in another important way.

Muslim months move through the year.

So in the northern part of the world July is always summer

and December is always winter,

but the muslim months move

slowly backwards

through all the seasons of the year

until they come full circle

to go through the seasons once again.

And we know how Muhammad the Messenger first heard the words of the Qur'an

in the cave of Hira one special night in the month of Ramadhan.

We heard that story in the City of Light

That amazing night

when God first began to give those wonderful words of guidance to humankind.

That night was so special to muslims that they call it by the name used for it in the Qur'an.

It is called the Night of Power, which in Arabic is Laylat-ul-Qadr.

Days and nights, months and years,

we measure our lives in this way.

And just as each year the fasting takes place between the start and the end of the month of Ramadhan,

each day during Ramadhan the fasting is timed by the light of the sun.

Muslims fast between the first sign of light in the night sky,

and the end of the day with the setting of the sun.

But Ramadhan is not just about going without food and drink.

It is also a time when muslims try to think much more of God,

and make extra prayers.

So each night in the mosque after 'Isha prayer

muslims will stay behind to make lots of extra prayers together,

a set of prayers known as Tarwih.

Some people will even stay in the mosque all day and night for the last ten days of Ramadhan,

following the example of the Messenger,

and staying in the mosque this way is known as 'Itikaf.

Muhammad the Messenger fasted often,

not just in Ramadhan,

and he said we should think of fasting as a shield from our sins.

Our hunger and thirst when we are fasting

should be a constant reminder of our Maker and our Provider.

Orbits within orbits