Holy month of Ramzan starts on Feb 19

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: With the sighting of the crescent moon on Wednesday evening, the holy month of Ramzan is set to commence from Thursday, marking the beginning of a month-long period of fasting, prayer and charity for Muslims.Based on moon sightings in various parts of the country, Imarat-e-Shariyyah Marathwada declared that Thursday will be the first fast of Ramzan. Soon after confirmation, announcements were made from mosques and messages flooded social media, greeting and conveying duas.The first Taraweeh prayers (usually long prayers that are offered at night apart from five mandatory prayers) were offered on Wednesday night at all the mosques. The faithful will observe their first fast from dawn on Thursday.In the old city areas around Bibi Ka Maqbara, Roshan Gate, Shahgunj, and City Chowk, Osmanpura markets remained abuzz through the evening as residents made last-minute purchases of dates, fruits and essentials for Sehri and Iftar.Shopkeepers reported brisk sales, saying demand for dry fruits and traditional food items surged over the past two days.Clerics described Ramzan as a time of introspection and self-discipline. "Fasting is not merely about abstaining from food and water, but about controlling one's thoughts and actions. It is a month of compassion and generosity when people practise sharing their blessings with the less fortunate, so that they do the same across the year," said Haafiz Mohammed Zakir, the imam of Jama Masjid, a 4 century-old mosque.Mosques made elaborate arrangements for nightly Taraweeh prayers, with volunteers being deployed to manage crowds and ensure a smooth flow of traffic in busy localities.Police commissioner Pravin Pawar said bandobast has been planned in sensitive areas to maintain law and order during late evening hours, when devotees gather in large numbers to purchase fruits and to offer late-night prayers.Charitable activities are also expected to intensify. Several mosque committees and social organisations lined up community Iftar programmes and distribution of ration kits. "The payment of zakat, an obligatory act of charity in Islam, should be used to help with the treatment of those unable to bear medical expenses, for the education of bright children belonging to underprivileged families, and also to help poor people get out of debt," said Sohel Zakiuddin of Aurangabad Education and Welfare Society.For students and working professionals, Ramzan brings a restructured daily routine, balancing fasting hours with academic and professional commitments. Fasting and eating in a disciplined manner after breaking the fast helps in regaining insulin sensitivity and also helps address a series of ailments through the process of autophagy, said Dr Umar Qadri, a senior intensivist.The holy month will conclude with the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, subject to the sighting of the Shawwal moon.