By Michael Campbell

When a silver sliver of a crescent moon is seen in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, Ramadan begins. This holy celebration commemorates the month when the Quran was revealed to Mohammed and given as a guide to mankind, with clear signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong. For 30 days, the faithful fast from sunrise to sundown and break the fast nightly with prayers, celebrations and friends.

Before the fasting begins at dawn, believers have a pre-fast meal called the suhoor. During the day, righteous believers spend the hours in worship and contemplation and abstain from worldly temptations, such as food, water and sexual relations. Everyday actions such as smoking and the wearing of perfume are also prohibited. During the evenings, the faithful gather with friends and family to join in tarawith, or communal prayers, and break their fast with a meal called the iftar.

Islam has five main tenets of faith that all must perform, and sawm, or fasting, is just one of them. For the faithful, fasting is more about celebration than punishment. Fasting during Ramadan serves to restart the one's spiritual life; it regenerates and clears the mind to serve God and helps the faithful achieve self-discipline, bringing them closer to God. It's an act of deep personal worship and filled with spiritual reward.

The last 10 days of Ramadan are considered some of the most important and intense days of the month. This culminates on the 27th night, with Lailat ul-Qadr, the Night of Power. This night commemorates Mohammed's receipt of the Quran and is the night when God sets the course of the World for the upcoming year.

The end of the month of fasting is a joyous celebration known as Eid-ul-Fitr, or the Breaking of the Fast, and lasts for three days. Sweets, feasts and gift giving are the highlights of this celebration. Some communities have fairs or carnivals to celebrate the occasion. This is an especially favored time for children as they receive gifts and new clothes from family and friends. Community building is also a major facet of Ramadan festivities and the busiest time of the year for Islamic charities. Most Muslims engage in works of charity such as community service projects. Most Muslims are expected to donate an amount that's equal to what's not consumed during the month-long fast.

The Islamic calendar is unique in that it's solely a lunar calendar. There are 12 months of about 29.5 days and therefore, the Islamic year is consistently shorter than the Christian calendar. But this glorious anomaly allows Ramadan to share its graces as it moves through all the seasons every 33 years.

This year is a unique and joyous convergence of calendars as Christians, Muslims and Jews gather in December to celebrate their holiest day. From Singapore to Seattle, Islam is practiced by more than one-third of the world's population, and this year we all can share a joyful season of celebration together.