Muslims during Friday prayers

By Sunday Amandi

Arua

Holiness, purity, and unity have been encouraged among the Muslims in Arua in this holy month of Ramadan. Ramathan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection.

Abdul Rahim Abdulla Karalla, the vice chairperson for Ayivu Muslim county emphasized the need for every adult Muslim to fast in this holy month, so long as the person is not chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding, diabetic, pregnant or menstruating. “Fasting in this holy month is compulsory, Muslims are expected to be generous” Karalla said.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, in which Muslims fast for either twenty-nine or thirty days after sighting the crescent moon that marks start of the month, according to the Islamic calendar.

Swale Taban, a Muslim faithful in Arua city says, it is a month of upholding faithfulness by all means. “Ramadan is a month of forgiveness, togetherness, helping each other; it’s a month of supporting each other…” Taban noted.

Similarly, another Muslim faithful in the city, Rashid Osino said, the month is a blessing for all Muslims to confess and forgive. The spiritual rewards of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan.

Accordingly, during the hours of fasting, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also sinful behavior, devoting themselves instead to prayer and study of the Quran.