Pursuant to the decision of the European Council forFatwa and Research, Spiritual Directorate of the Muslims of Ukraine “Ummah” announces the onset of the holy month of Ramadan after sunset on June 17; accordingly, June 18 will be the first day of fasting in 2015.
Pursuant to the decision of the European Council forFatwa and Research, Spiritual Directorate of the Muslims of Ukraine “Ummah” announces the onset of the holy month of Ramadan after sunset on June 17; accordingly, June 18 will be the first day of fasting in 2015.
In addition, in the evening on June 17, after a night of prayer in all mosques of “Ummah” the first Taraavih prayer will be raised in this year–an additional prayer in the month of fasting, which is to take place every night during this period. There is also Prophet Muhammad’s practice, the daily reading of the Quran during Ramadan.
The next new moon will mark the end of fasting and the holiday of first mean after fast - Eid al-Fitr (Turkic Eid festival). According to preliminary calculations, it will fall on July17.
According to Association “Al-Raid” and SDMU “Ummah”, this year, fasting in Ramadan once again will become a serious challenge for Muslims of Ukraine, not only because of the summer heat and the length of daylight (the first third of fasting falls on the summer solstice), but also due to the occupation of Crimea and a part of Donbas by Russia, which controls the militants. Moreover, Ukrainian Muslimsare also among the military who save our land from the military aggression that threatens the life and safety of citizens of Ukraine of all faiths and facilitatesthe infringement of the country’s territorial integrity. Many Muslims are members of volunteers’ movements.
Therefore, as stated in the report, currently the fasting for Muslims will be not only be a period of spiritual purification, getting closer to God and rethinking the life lived, butthe time for action aimed at protecting their homeland and assisting IDPs. Ramadan is one of the four months in which hostilitiesare banned, unless linked with the need to counter military aggression, asthe protection of one’s native land is a duty of every Muslim.
Throughout the month, the faithful refrain from eating, drinking and intimate marital relations from dawn to sunset. However, as Association “Al-Raid” and SDMU “Ummah” emphasize, the Creator warns people through his prophet: “If a person does not stop telling lies and committing outrages– God does not need his refusal of food and drink.”
However, the sick, travelers,as well as pregnant and breastfeeding womenmay fast in the season that follows the specified circumstances. Those who cannot observe the fast must feed the poor or give alms.
Especially valuable are the last ten days of Ramadan, it was in one of those nights that Prophet Muhammad was given the first revelation of the Quran, and one of them is the Night of Greatness,which is “better than one thousand months” (Qur'an, 97: 3). Whoever stands up this night in prayer with faith and hope for reward from the Almighty, may earn forgiveness for his sins,” Association “Al-Raid” and SDMU “Ummah” believe.