Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.

Ramadan (Arabic: Ramaḍān) is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the holiest periods for Muslims. It commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad and is observed through sawm, the ritual fast that forms part of the Five Pillars of Islam.

From dawn until sunset, believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual activity, as well as from unethical behavior. Ramadan is a time of increased prayer, Qur’anic recitation, charitable acts (especially zakat al-fitr), and nightly prayers known as tarawih. The fast is broken at sunset with the iftar meal, traditionally starting with dates and water. A light pre-dawn meal called suḥūr is also encouraged.

The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the new moon, which may differ by location. The month concludes with Eid al-Fitr, a festive day celebrating the end of the fasting period.

While Ramadan is primarily spiritual, it also fosters social solidarity, discipline, and self-reflection. Exemptions from fasting exist for children, the sick, pregnant women, menstruating women, and travelers.