Hawzah News Agency - Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the month during which Muslims observe fasting from morning twilight (Fajr Prayer) to the evening twilight (Maghreb Prayer). The term Ramadan is literally driven from al-Ramd which means ‘burning heat of the sun’. It is believed that this name is given to the fasting month due to the thirst experienced during fasting.

It is narrated from the Prophet of Islam (S) that the name is given to the fasting month because fasting burns the sins. (Bihar al-Anwar, vol.58. p.341)

According to some narrations ‘Ramadan’ is one of the Names of Allah and hence the more appropriate way to refer to the month of fasting is to say “The Month of Ramadan”, not Ramadan. (al-Kafi, vol.4 p.69)

We should however bear in mind that the term ‘Ramadan’ without the prefix ‘the month’ is mentioned in many Hadiths with reference to the month of fasting. Hence, it seems the recommendation for the expression of ‘the month of Ramadan’ is with respect to the Qur’anic expression as mentioned in Surah 2, Ayah 185, and as an honour to this holy month, which is referred to in the words of the Prophet (S) ‘the month of Allah’.