Austria's Muslim Community Celebrates the Month of Ramadan
Every year, the Muslim community of Vienna and worldwide celebrates the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is one of the most important months in Islam, starting from April 2nd, 2022 to May 2nd, 2022. Practiced by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset each evening during the month of Ramadan. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons /balavenise / CC BY 2.0
The fasten month is practiced and celebrated by the Muslim community in Vienna, which counts around 200,000 heads and is constantly growing.
Ramadan is the fasting month of Muslims and the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. In it, according to Islamic belief, the Quran was revealed.
The festival of breaking the fast immediately after the fasting month at the beginning of the following month, Shawwal, is the second-highest Islamic holiday after the Feast of Sacrifice.
As a celebration of Muhammad's first revelation, Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It lasts from the sighting of the crescent moon for twenty-nine to thirty days.
All over the world, Muslims go on fast for over a month, starting this year in the night from April 1st to April 2nd.
During Ramadan, Muslims are forbidden to eat and drink before sunset. During this time, a Muslim should abstain from eating, drinking water or other beverages, having sexual intercourse with his or her spouse, and smoking. Fasting teaches the Muslim self-discipline and restraint, and at the same time purifies the soul and body, and strengthens God-consciousness.
The fasting is attributed to the day, the breaking of the fast (fitr/iftar) to the night. Iftar is the evening meal eaten by Muslims after sunset each evening during the month of Ramadan. A great way to socialize and to deeply connect to the people you are enjoying your evening meal with.
The Muslim community in Vienna has its roots in Central Asia and the Middle East, from the Balkan Peninsula, the Black Sea region, the Caucasus.
Ramadan makes up one of the most important traditions of the Islamic faith and the fast helps to grow spiritually, socially and personally.