Chang's Musings

Monday, February 23, 2026

Inspirational Sharing: “Guided by the Same Sky”

When we look at a mosque, we often see a crescent moon and star. Many people think it is the official symbol of Islam. In truth, it is not a religious requirement. It became associated with Muslim communities through history, especially during the time of the Ottoman Empire.

But even though it is not required, it carries a beautiful meaning.

The crescent moon reminds us that Ramadan begins not by a calendar page, but by looking up at the sky. A community waits together for the first thin line of light after darkness. It teaches patience — that important moments in life cannot be rushed.

Every day in Ramadan, a person wakes before dawn, restrains hunger during the day, and breaks fast at sunset. The moon and sun do not change their path for us — instead, we learn to adjust ourselves to a higher order. Ramadan is therefore a training of the heart: self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those who have less.

The star beside the moon represents guidance. Long ago, travelers crossed deserts guided only by the stars. In the same way, faith is meant to guide our decisions — especially when life feels dark or confusing.

So the crescent is about time, and the star is about direction.

Together they remind us:
A good life is not about doing whatever we want, whenever we want.
It is about living with discipline, purpose, and care for others.

When we fast, we begin to feel the hunger of the poor. When we give charity, we turn empathy into action. And when we pray, we align our hearts — just as the moon and stars move in harmony above us.

Ramadan, therefore, is not only a month on a calendar.
It is a chance to reset our character, to polish our habits, and to become a source of light for other people.

May we all leave this Ramadan a little kinder, a little more patient, and a little more guided than before.

______________

Disclaimer:
The above is generated by ChatGPT on 23/2/2025

https://chatgpt.com/s/t_699c5b3d360c81918a05a91e4547f5db

Ramadan and Math

Ramadan and Math actually go together surprisingly well.
Ramadan is about discipline, reflection, precision in time… and math is literally the science of precision and patterns. Here are some meaningful (and fun) ways to connect them — great for students, youth activities, or even a short sharing.

1) The Moon → Geometry in the Sky 🌙

Ramadan begins when the hilal (crescent moon) is sighted.

This is actually a geometry + astronomy problem.

Math behind it:

The moon orbits Earth ≈ 29.53 days (not 30 exactly!)
That's why Islamic months are 29 or 30 days
A year in the lunar calendar:

12 \times 29.53 \approx 354 days

So the Islamic year is 11 days shorter than the solar year →
Ramadan moves earlier every year.

You can even ask students:

If Ramadan starts on 12 March this year, when roughly next year?

Answer: about 1–11 days earlier.

2) Prayer Times = Real Trigonometry

Daily fasting depends on Fajr (dawn) and Maghrib (sunset).
Those times are calculated — not guessed.

Mathematically, sunrise happens when the Sun's altitude angle = 0° relative to the horizon.

The calculation uses:

latitude
longitude
date
Earth tilt (23.5°)

The actual formula involves spherical trigonometry:

cos (H) = - tan (ϕ) tan (δ)

Where:

$ϕ$ = latitude
$δ$ = solar declination
$H$ = hour angle (gives sunrise & sunset time)

So every fasting day literally depends on math + astronomy.

3) Islamic Art → Pure Geometry

Mosques avoid human images — so artists used mathematics instead.

You're actually looking at:

tessellations
symmetry groups
rotations
translations
reflections

Many patterns are built from:

circles
hexagons
8-point stars
decagons

This is exactly the same math as:

tiling theory
wallpaper symmetry (Group theory!)

Students love discovering:

Long before modern mathematicians formalized tessellations, Muslim artists were already using them.

4) Fasting Itself Is Mathematical

A fast is basically a time interval problem.

Example (Singapore):

Fajr ≈ 5:50 am
Maghrib ≈ 7:20 pm

Fasting duration:

7 : 20 pm - 5 : 50 am = 13 h 30 min

You can even graph fasting hours across the month and see a curve!

5) Zakat = Percentage Math

Zakat (charity) is:

2.5% = 401

So:

$4,000 savings → $100 zakat
$10,000 savings → $250 zakat

This becomes a very real-life financial mathematics lesson (percentages, ratios, wealth distribution).

A Nice One-Line Message

You could share this during a Ramadan program:

Ramadan teaches that just as the moon follows precise laws, a human life also becomes beautiful when it follows discipline and balance — the same harmony we see in mathematics.

If you want, I can design a Ramadan math puzzle worksheet (geometry or logic riddles themed around crescent moons and lanterns).