The Month of Ramadan Begins Today
Today, June 18th, marks the start of the Muslim month of Ramadan, a month where Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours for 30 days, and fervently pray to Allah, seeking to know Him more closely and to find favour with Him.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The dates vary each year as it is based on the lunar calendar, and, in many places around the world Muslims will be looking to the heavens on the first evening of Ramadan, to see if the crescent moon is visible. If it is, then this is the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadan.
Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders, and look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families.
Adults see Ramadan as an opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan also emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community, many feel a particular closeness to each other through this time.
Throughout the days of fasting, Muslims are encouraged to go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Some believe that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times, and, for this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.
For many Muslims, this is a time of genuinely searching for God and Truth, and there numerous testimonies of Muslims having encounters with Christ through dreams and vision over the month of Ramadan.
Let us join with Christians around the world through this month of Ramadan and pray for the Muslim world:
- Pray that many Muslims with come to know the saving grace of Jesus, that is a free gift of Love, not something to be earned by rewards.
- Pray for many Muslims to encounter the Living Christ through this month of Ramadan.
- Pray for protection on Christians living in Muslim majority countries, and that they will have opportunities to witness to their faith over this month.
- Pray for a move of God and the Holy Spirit through the Middle East and North Africa, a region currently in turmoil politically and Spiritually.
Joel 2 vs 28: “And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
Source: http://pray30days.org
