Commentary: Why Ramadan is called Ramadan and other facts about this Muslim celebration

Editor’s note • Mohammad Hassan Khalil, associate professor of religious studies and director of the Muslim Studies Program at Michigan State University, answers six questions about the significance of the Muslim month of fasting.Why is Ramadan called Ramadan?Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the new crescent moon is (or should be) visible.The Arabic term Ramadan connotes intense heat. It seems that in pre-Islami