Ramadan and Id-Ul-Fitr

Background Information

	Throughout the month of Ramadan, all adult Muslims (over the age of 12 and in good health) abstain from food and drink during the hours of daylight. The purpose of the fast is to enable the rich to experience the rigours of poverty, and to establish expectations of behaviour for the rest of the year.
	There are similarities between Ramadan, the time when Muhammad went alone up into the hills above Makkah in order to fast and meditate, and the 40 days and nights spent by Jesus in the wilderness. It was during Ramadan that Muhammad received the first of his revelations from Allah, recorded later in the Qur'an. This is commemorated on the 27th day of Ramadan by a special 'Night of Power' called Laylat-Ul-Qadr.
	The Muslim festival of Id-Ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting. Like Easter, its precise date varies from year to year, but it always takes place on the first day of the tenth month in the Muslim calendar.

Activity idea

Making Id greeting cards (based on patterns and designs from Islamic art) offers an excellent design and technology activity.

This information was taken from the book Active Assemblies Through the Year written by Ian Addis. Click here for more information on this book.