Ockley Green Middle School

On April 12, the Muslim community around the world prepares to start the celebration of Ramadan. PPS is a diverse district and many of our students and families will be joining in the celebrations. 

What is the Ramadan celebration about?

Ramadan celebrates the first revelation of the Quran to the prophet Muhammed. For adult Muslims, this is a time to reflect on life, pray and fast from sunrise to sunset.

When does Ramadan start and end?

This year, Ramadan starts on April 12 and ends on May 12.

When is Eid al-Fitr?

This year, Eid al-Fitr will be on May 12 and it is the day of breaking the fast. This day is the official end of the month of Ramadan.

Greetings

You can wish your Muslims friends a Happy Ramadan or you can wish them a “Ramadan Mubarak,” which roughly translates into “Happy Ramadan.” You can also wish them a “Ramadan kareem,” which translates to “Have a generous Ramadan.” This wish is closely tied to the season’s spirit: to encourage participants to charity, helping the most disadvantaged, visiting the sick, and doing as many good deeds as possible during Ramadan. 

On the last day of Ramadan, which is Eid-al-fitr, the greeting changes to “Eid Mubarak,” which translates to “Blessed Feast.”

At school:

• Students and staff may ask to be excused from activities to pray. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes. Students and staff will also be allowed to pray outside of instructional time.
• Upon parent/guardian written request, students may receive an excused absence from classes or programs on Friday afternoons in order to attend Jumma (Friday prayer) at a local mosque.
• Children are not required to fast for Ramadan until they reach a mature age. However, in many families, younger children enjoy participating and are encouraged to practice fasting. It is common for a younger child to fast for part of a day, or for one day on the weekend.
• Teachers should note that Muslim students who are fasting may have lower energy than usual.
• Here is a list of books you can read to learn more about Ramadan.

Ramadan kareem to our PPS Muslim community!