رمضان

ramaẓān, vulg. ramẓān, corr. ramjān (v.n. fr. رمض 'to become intensely heated or hot'), s.m. The ninth of the Arabian months (so called because, when they changed the names of the months from the ancient language, they named them according to the seasons in which they fell, and this month agreed with the days of vehement heat. On the 27th of this month the Qor`ān began to descend; and every prayer offered up on that night will, it is believed, be complied with; also, prayers offered up on the 19th, 21st, and 23rd days of this month are supposed to be peculiarly efficacious);—the fast observed during this month, the Moḥammadan Lent (during which Moḥammadans are interdicted from eating, drinking, and conjugal duty, between the morning dawn and appearance of the stars at night).