Aqua-Soft ForumsI wanted to take the opportunity of the beginning of Ramadan to say Ramadan Kareem to all of our muslim members.
Ramadan Kareem
(offtopic)(at least its something)i keep thinking thats my name in your sig.
ex: i realize that sleep is, indeed, just a cheap substitue for candy//grim//getnewposts()
(ontopic)im assuming this is a holliday, is it like the muslim new year?
Its a month in which muslims fast everyday, so that they learn self-restraint. It is also the month in which The Qoran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It is obligatory, with a few exceptions for children, elderly, people that are sick, or people that are on travels longer than 50 miles. Also women that are pregnant, nursing or menstruation.
I wish that this holy month brings at least a little compassion and understanding for the difficulties people endure everyday on different parts of the world, and that we either don't endure, or don't even know about.
Thank you!
Yep, today is the first day of the fast. Many people don't really understand it but it's actually great and not only does it teach you self restraint, but it also helps you sympathize with the poorer people of the world. More than 90% of the world's population is poor and don't have enough money for food everyday, and fasting for a month actually makes you WANT to donate money to them (and you do... 2.5% of your annual income is donated to poorer folk around the world). And it's also a great way to excercise self restraint too. I've never felt the urge to gamble, drink, smoke, do drugs or anything, despite having friends that do and going to many parties that have that sort of thing.
Anyway, yeah, have a good one to the rest of you here 
Ramadan Kareem to every one
I'm not muslim, but I like you guys: Ramadan Kareem
I'm not muslim, but I like you guys: Ramadan Kareem
i couldn't have said it better myself. 
ramadan kareem!
Ramadan Kareem to all of the Muslims here.
Happy Ramalahamadan Pplz!
Ramadhan Kareem everyone
Ramadan Kareem.
I hope one day we learn humbleness & tollerance.
'][optics] <-- MuslimRamadan Mubarak!
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
Traditional greetings: For Ramadan: "Ramadan Mubarak," which means "May God give you a blessed month," and "Ramadan Kareem," which means "Wishing you a generous Ramadan." For Eid: "Eid Mubarak," which means, "May God make it a blessed feast."
Ramadan Mubarak Bros.
Traditional greetings: For Ramadan: "Ramadan Mubarak," which means "May God give you a blessed month," and "Ramadan Kareem," which means "Wishing you a generous Ramadan." For Eid: "Eid Mubarak," which means, "May God make it a blessed feast."
I see. Thank you. Ramadan Mubarak
Ramadan Mubarak insha-allah!
Ramadan Kareem!
Waiting for a non-sensible christian (unlike me) or another religiion to flame this thread.
To the muslims (to be a respectful christian I am), enjoy Ramadan
Arnt muslims allowed to eat at night ? I heard that they fast in the
day time and stuff themselfs all night long aftarwards =)
Ramadan Kareem everyone =)
Not to get philosophical, but why does every relegion have lack of food (read: fasting periods) as an integral part of its teachings.
Catholicism has no meat on fridays during lent, Judaism has no bread during passover, Islamic faiths have fasting. I'm just very curious about that, and trying to do some research as to how it all started, and how food plays a big role in religions. There are lots of similarities in that regard in all religions, and I have been thinking that maybe there really only is one higher being, or one prophet, and all the different religions that we have are just different interpretations of that.
ehhhh, nevermind, this isnt the place for this
You are right Catholicism, Judaism and Islam grow from one root. The root isn't the prophet, but the prophecy: the holy book (in sequence: Bible, Tora and Koran). Judaism is the oldest here, Islam is the youngest religion from these three. They all derive from one prophecy, which had been transferred orally at first. They differ in details, but has many many many similarities and a lot of them are really surprising.
Why lack of food plays such a big role here? On one hand, when you don't eat, you cleanse your body from earth-bound things, it gets you closer to god. It's a transcendent activity. On the other hand, food = life and when you don't eat, you...how should I say it....let death into your life, you keep yourself aware of its existence (bah, paradox: existence of death 
). It's transcendent too, because in all these 3 religions death is just a gate that has to be passed on your way to reach God's realm.
If you want more information please pm me in a couple of days, I'll give you some names and book titles you could read about it
ps. I don't mind philosophical (well it isn't philosophy at all but I have no idea how to translate this science's name from Polish :S) discussion like this at all.
Catholicism has no meat on fridays during lent, Judaism has no bread during passover, Islamic faiths have fasting.
if you're looking to research, for judaism, you should look more at Yom Kippur than passover... y.k. is a full day fast... see judaism 101 for more details.
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm
(i miss the rabbi smiley 
)
Food also symbolizes richness, so in not eating as much as you usually eat, you try to understand just how it is to be... not so lucky, vis-a-vis, be poor and not have enough to eat. In other words, you express solidarity with people that may or may not be as well off as you and I may be.
In the other hand, as Pe8er eloquently put it, its another way to 'cleanse' your body; both physically and morally from things that tie you to this earth (passion for earthly things, lust, desire, etc.) and to achieve temporary transcendence (i.e. be closer to God).
I think its a good period of meditation, as one tends to dwell into more serious thinking during those times and may even get some answers to long-posed questions. Answers, which are not necessarily true, or right, but are answers in any case.