Happy Ramaðan!

**Lemur** · 09-02-2008, 01:43

Wikipedia is never a bad place to start ...

Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان, Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Angel Gabriel which later was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (sawm), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer even more prayer than usual. Also involved in Ramadan are asking forgiveness for the sins of the past, asking for guidance in the future, and asking for help with refraining from every day evils and trying to purify oneself through self-restraint and good deeds.

**a completely inoffensive name** · 09-02-2008, 02:09

Originally Posted by Lemur

Wikipedia is never a bad place to start ...

It always annoys me whenever people say "Well looking it up would be a good place to start." I always thought the point of posting the question was to get answers from people who actually celebrate the holiday and know the significance and intricate details of the holiday. Wikipedia is good if you have no other way of finding out, but if you can ask someone with first hand knowledge about something why would you not just ask that person instead of looking at a page that could be edited by some guy just copying from an encyclopedia with no real knowledge of the subject?

Sorry for the tirade, that was just the 80th time I saw someone pointed to wikipedia instead of having thier question answered.

**Strike For The South** · 09-02-2008, 02:10

Originally Posted by Mike Hunt

It always annoys me whenever people say "Well looking it up would be a good place to start." I always thought the point of posting the question was to get answers from people who actually celebrate the holiday and know the significance and intricate details of the holiday. Wikipedia is good if you have no other way of finding out, but if you can ask someone with first hand knowledge about something why would you not just ask that person instead of looking at a page that could be edited by some guy just copying from an encyclopedia with no real knowledge of the subject?

Sorry for the tirade, that was just the 80th time I saw someone pointed to wikipedia instead of having thier question answered.

but you did get an answer

**a completely inoffensive name** · 09-02-2008, 02:57

Originally Posted by Strike For The South

but you did get an answer

Well I didn't ask the question, SwedishFish did, I was just commenting on the answer given. Yes it was an answer, but as I said in my post, not really an answer, do get what I am trying to say there?

**Lemur** · 09-02-2008, 03:12

Originally Posted by Mike Hunt

Sorry for the tirade, that was just the 80th time I saw someone pointed to wikipedia instead of having thier question answered.

Welly well, I posted a direct link to the relevant article as well as the opening paragraph, which directly answers the question, so while I understand the source of your irritation, I don't think it's fair to call me out.

**a completely inoffensive name** · 09-02-2008, 03:21

Originally Posted by Lemur

Welly well, I posted a direct link to the relevant article as well as the opening paragraph, which directly answers the question, so while I understand the source of your irritation, I don't think it's fair to call me out.

I am not trying to call you out, Lemur. I was just expressing how everyone who wants a quick answer to something can type wikipedia into thier url, but to ask a question to something is to expect a well informed answer from someone with first hand knowledge and experience. Like I have said, yes you did produce an answer for the question with your responce but just not the way I think it should have been.

Seriously, I am not trying to call you out there.

**Gregoshi** · 09-02-2008, 03:44

Originally Posted by Dare I say from the Wiki article?

Also involved in Ramadan are asking forgiveness for the sins of the past, asking for guidance in the future, and asking for help with refraining from every day evils and trying to purify oneself through self-restraint and good deeds.

Let's keep to the spirit and purpose of the thread...

**drone** · 09-02-2008, 05:12

A happy and peaceful Ramadan to all our Muslim friends.

Because I have random thoughts like this, I've always wanted to ask. How do Muslims in, say Edinburgh (or anywhere fairly north of the equator), deal with Ramadan when it falls in June-July? The long days have to be brutal.