Ramadan is the mandatory month of fasting for Muslims where they must abstain from eating, drinking, and other things from sunup to sundown for 30 days. This is one of the Five Pillars of Islam; however, Muslims are doing more than just fasting this month.

While it is not mandatory, many Muslims read and recite the entire Quran during the month of Ramadan to gain Allah’s favor and cleanse more of their sins. There are multiple instructions and references to this in the hadith, and Muslims must follow many rules when they are reciting.

As Christians, we know that there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation or God’s love. God loves us because He is love; He offered us salvation through His Son who paid for our sins on the cross.

While learning about what Muslims do during Ramadan, imagine the heavy weight of their salvation pressing down on their shoulders. Ramadan highlights “human effort” as the way to earn Allah’s favor, and many Muslims are left feeling empty because they wonder if they have done enough or were “good enough.”

Why do Muslims recite the Quran during Ramadan?

Ramadan is a special month in Islam because it is supposedly the month that Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran. This revelation happened when the angel Gabriel supposedly appeared to Muhammad in a cave; read more about that here.

In the years since originally receiving the verses of the Quran, it is said the angel Gabriel would come down to Muhammad during Ramadan and would recite the entire Quran with him over 10 days:

Angel Jibril used to repeat the recitation of the Qur’an with the Prophet (peace be upon him) once a year, but he repeated it twice with him in the year he died. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to stay in I’tikaf [solitude] for ten days every year (in the month of Ramadan), but in the year of his death, he stayed in I’tikaf for twenty days. Sahih al-Bukhari 4998

So the example of reciting the entire Quran was set by Muhammad, and because Muslims believe he is their perfect example, many follow in his footsteps.

When do Muslims recite the Quran during Ramadan?

For a start, the Muslim needs to be clean when they hold the Quran. There is a specific cleansing ritual called wudhu which is a prerequisite for touching and reading the Quran. The same wudhu applies to the five daily prayers. 
Usually, the Muslim holds the Quran in both hands close to their chest, or places it on a special holder to keep it clean and away from the floor or any dirt. 
Muslims are told to recite and read the Quran in Arabic, even if they cannot understand the language or speak it. Allah will not reward their recitation in other languages. It is taught that the Arabic language is the only true interpretation of the Quran, and all other versions are called “The Meaning of the Quran.”

There are special rewards for reciting the Quran. In the Hadith, one of Muhammad’s wives, Aisha, claimed that she heard Muhammad say: “The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)This hadith says that even if a Muslim struggles in reciting the Quran, they will receive double rewards for trying to complete the task. It is important to note that the emphasis is not on understanding the Quran, but rather on perfectly reciting it.When Muslims recite the Quran, there are specific rules about how they must pronounce the words, meter their words, and switch between kneeling, standing, and bowing. They do all of these things in hopes they are good enough to have sins wiped away.

How can you share the gospel with Muslims during Ramadan?

Often, Muslims go to their local mosque at night to perform an extra, sixth prayer called Tarawih– these are types of prayers that are reserved for Ramadan only and are not the same as their typical five daily prayers.
“Abu Hurairah (RA) reports: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, ‘He who observes optional prayer (Tarawih prayers) throughout Ramadan, out of the sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned.’” (Al- Bukhari and Muslim)
When Muslims go to their local mosque to perform the extra Tarawih prayers, they also recite one-thirtieth of the Quran every night. So going every night to the mosque for a month means they can complete their recitation of the entire Quran as they also perform this extra prayer for more rewards.

How can you share the gospel with Muslims during Ramadan?

Obviously, there are many practices Muslims must do during Ramadan, and it all is in an attempt to earn Allah’s favor. They are tired from fasting, but more so, their souls grow weary of following empty rules and rituals.
First, focus on praying for your Muslim friend during this time, and ask the Lord to open up their heart to hear about Him. When you get the opportunity, ask them questions like these to start a deeper conversation:

• Are you reading through the entire Quran this Ramadan?
• Do you understand Arabic as you read the Quran?
• How do you feel as you are fasting and reading the Quran?
• What does reading the Quran do for you in your relationship with Allah?