The Muslim Student Association will hold a workshop on how to fast during Ramadan at 8 p.m. tonight in the Holmes Student Center, Room 305.

Ramadan, which beginsb Friday, is the Arabic name of the ninth month of the Lunar Calendar, said Atique Ahmed, adviser for the Muslim Student Association.

The world population of Muslims is about 1 billion, and in North America, roughly 8 million. For Muslims, Ramadan is a “month of blessing” marked by prayer, fasting and charity, Ahmed said.

It gained its significance ever since the Prophet Muhammed began receiving the revelation of Quran from Allah in this month, Ahmed said.

The Quran, the Muslim’s Holy Book, discusses Ramadan as a blessed month, in which Allah has made it obligatory to fast.

The fasting individual doesn’t eat or drink anything, including water, from sunrise to sunset.

At tonight’s presentation, Sheikh Hafiz Yousef Abdullah will speak on why a Muslim fasts, what the benefits of fasting are and what a Muslim does during Ramadan, said Shahidah Parveen, public relations chair of the Muslim Student Association.

“Abdullah is an amazing young man, and in a short time he has shown himself as a great scholar and gifted man,” Ahmed said. “He will deal with the topic in a scholarly fashion and will benefit all Muslim and non-Muslim alike on this subject.”

In addition to fasting, Ramadan Muslims stop themselves from participating in deliberate immoral acts, Ahmed said, such as cheating, cursing and hurting others, irrespective of their religion.

During the fasting day they also avoid sexual activities, but it is acceptable for married persons at night, Ahmed said.

Muslims pray a minimum of five times per day and recite the Quran as much as they can, said Parveen. They make an effort to please Allah and to go nearer to Him, Ahmed said.

They also take part in charities and get together more with their families, friends and neighbors. Ramadan is also a time for inner reflection, Parveen said – controlling of the humanistic desires, improving the self, increasing patience and attaining further closeness to Allah.