Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of Allah, and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. As compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving forward about ten days each year as it is a moving holiday depending on the moon. Ramadan was the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. It is observed on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar. It is the New Year for people, animals, and legal contracts. Jews believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe. Both of these festivals- Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan- are times to repent sins. Family and friends come together during both of these holidays to celebrate in harmony. These religious holidays mark a new beginning for every person. People look forward to a bright beginning to open up another chapter in their lives. The significance of Rosh Hashanah is also its being the Day of Judgment. According to Jewish belief, throughout the year God judges all human beings, and by the time of Rosh Hashanah he decides whether they deserve to be inscribed in "The Book of Life" or not. Those who are inscribed in this book are rewarded with a new year of happiness. After Rosh Hashanah there are ten more days in which a person can change his or her behavior enough for God to change his initial decision. Therefore, on the first day of the holiday it is customary to go to a lake or a river and symbolically "cast away" your sins into the water. In addition, Jews do soul searching and ask for forgiveness for anything that they have done wrong in the past year. During the Ramadan, Muslims practice fasting for a month which is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God. The

fasting also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, as well as sympathy for those who are less fortunate, intending to make Muslims more generous and charitable. In other words, Ramadan is the time for Muslims to forgive and develop a sense of community among themselves. The significance of celebrations for Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan is that unknowingly we all share the same values. We all want to purify our souls and our deeds in the past. By casting off our sins, we feel psychologically refreshed. Other culture should also know about different religions and their celebrations because as a whole we are human being and there is no segregation. We need to learn why our culture has such significant festivals during such time.