Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed to have been revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam[6] and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.
Fasting from dawn to sunset is obligatory (fard) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding, diabetic, pregnant, or menstruating.[9] The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar. Although rulings (fatawa) have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca, it is common practice to follow the timetable of the closest country in which night can be distinguished from day.
The spiritual rewards (thawab) of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan.[16] Accordingly, during the hours of fasting, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also from all behavior deemed to be sinful in Islam, devoting themselves instead to prayer and study of the Quran.
Etymology
The word Ramadan derives from the Arabic root R-M-Ḍ (ر-م-ض) “scorching heat”, which is the Classical Arabic verb “ramiḍa (رَمِضَ)” meaning “become intensely hot – become burning; become scorching; be blazing; be glowing”.
Ramadan is thought of as one of the names of God in Islam by some, and as such it is reported in many hadiths that it is prohibited to say only “Ramadan” in reference to the calendar month and that it is necessary to say “month of Ramadan”, as reported in Sunni, Shia and Zaydi sources. However, the report has been graded by others as Mawḍūʻ (fabricated)[35] and inauthentic.
In the Persian language, the Arabic letter ض (Ḍād) is pronounced as /z/. The Muslim communities in some countries with historical Persian influence, such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, India, Pakistan and Turkey, use the word Ramazan or Ramzan. The word Romzan is used in Bangladesh.[citation needed]
History
Chapter 2, Verse 185 in Arabic
Ramadan is the month on which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong˺. So whoever is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then ˹let them fast˺ an equal number of days ˹after Ramaḍân˺. Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.
— Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
Muslims hold that all scriptures were revealed during Ramadan, the scrolls of Abraham, Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and Quran having been handed down on the first, sixth, twelfth, thirteenth (in some sources, eighteenth)[36] and twenty-fourth Ramadans,[year needed] respectively.[37][self-published source] Muhammad is said to have received his first quranic revelation on Laylat al-Qadr, one of five odd-numbered nights that fall during the last ten days of Ramadan.[38]
Although Muslims were first commanded to fast in the second year of Hijra (624 CE),[37] they believe that the practice of fasting is not in fact an innovation of monotheism[39] but rather has always been necessary for believers to attain fear of God (taqwa).[40][Quran 2:183] They point to the fact that the pre-Islamic pagans of Mecca fasted on the tenth day of Muharram to expiate sin and avoid drought.[41][self-published source] Philip Jenkins argues that the observance of Ramadan fasting grew out of “the strict Lenten discipline of the Syrian Churches,” a postulation corroborated by other scholars, including theologian Paul-Gordon Chandler,[42][43] but disputed by some Muslim academics.[44] The Quran itself emphasizes that the fast it prescribes had already been prescribed to earlier biblical communities (2:183), even though an explicit intertext for this pre-Islamic practice does not exist.[45]
Important dates
The Islamic calendar is a lunar one, where each month begins when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. The Islamic year consists of 12 lunar cycles, and consequently it is 10 to 11 days shorter than the solar year, and as it contains no intercalation,[c] Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons. The Islamic day starts after sunset. The estimated start and end dates for Ramadan, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia, are:[46]
Ramadan dates between 2022 and 2026
AH First day (CE/AD) Last day (CE/AD)
1443 2 April 2022 1 May 2022
1444 23 March 2023 20 April 2023
1445 11 March 2024 9 April 2024
1446 1 March 2025 29 March 2025
1447 18 February 2026 19 March 2026
An iftar meal
Many Muslims insist on the local physical sighting of the moon to mark the beginning of Ramadan, but others use the calculated time of the new moon or the Saudi Arabian declaration to determine the start of the month. Since the new moon is not in the same state at the same time globally, the beginning and ending dates of Ramadan depend on what lunar sightings are received in each respective location. As a result, Ramadan dates vary in different countries, but usually only by a day. This is due to the cycles of the moon; the moon may not meet the criteria to qualify as a waxing crescent, which delineates the change in months, at the time of sundown in one location while later meeting it in another location.[47] Astronomical projections that approximate the start of Ramadan are available.[48]
Beginning
Ramadan beginning dates between Gregorian years 1938 and 2038. See Ramadan dates.
Because the hilāl, or crescent moon, typically occurs approximately one day after the new moon, Muslims can usually estimate the beginning of Ramadan;[49] however, many Muslims prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent.[50]
Laylat al-Qadr
Main article: Night of Power
The Laylat al-Qadr (Arabic: لیلة القدر) or “Night of Power” is the night that Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down to the world, and Muhammad received his first quranic revelation from it. The night is considered to be the holiest night of the year.[51][52] It is generally believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan; the Dawoodi Bohra believe that Laylat al-Qadr was the twenty-third night of Ramadan.[53][54]
Eid
Main articles: Eid al-Fitr and Eid prayers
The holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر), which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal,[55] the next lunar month, is declared after a crescent new moon has been sighted or after completion of thirty days of fasting if no sighting of the moon is possible. Eid celebrates the return to a more natural disposition (fitra) of eating, drinking, and marital intimacy.[56]
Religious practices
Azim Azimzade. Ramadan of the poor people. 1938
The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar.[57]
Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline, motivated by hadith:[58][59] “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains.”[60]
Fasting
Main article: Fasting during Ramadan
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, Muslims abstain from sexual relations[61] and sinful speech and behaviour during Ramadan. Fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, and to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control,[62] sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).[63]
Exemptions from fasting include those traveling, menstruating, severely ill, pregnant, or breastfeeding.[57] Those unable to fast are obligated to make up the missed days later.[64]
Suhur
Main article: Suhur
Iftar at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Each day before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called the suhur. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr.[65][66]
Iftar
Main article: Iftar
Picture of some of the dishes used in breaking Ramadan fast in Nigeria
Some dishes used in breaking Ramadan fast in Nigeria
At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar, traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad’s practice of breaking the fast with three dates.[67][68] They then adjourn for Maghrib, the fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served.[69]
Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan.[example needed] Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages.[70]
In the Middle East, iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal.[71] Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf. Desserts may include lokma, baklava or knafeh.[72]
Over time, the practice of iftar has evolved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners.[73] The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the largest mosque in the UAE, feeds up to thirty thousand people every night.[74] Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.[citation needed]
Iftar served for people fasting in the Imam Reza shrine
Charity
Main articles: Zakat and Sadaqah
Men praying during Ramadan at the Shrine of Ali or “Blue Mosque” in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
A mass prayer during the 1996 Ramadan at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
A mass prayer during the 1996 Ramadan at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
Zakat, often translated as “the poor-rate”, is the fixed percentage of income a believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many Muslims donate a larger portion – or even all – of their yearly zakat during this month.[75]
Nightly prayers
Main article: Tarawih
Tarawih (Arabic: تراويح) are extra nightly prayers performed during the month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory.[76]
Recitation of the Quran
Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran, which comprises thirty juz’ (sections), over the thirty days of Ramadan. Some Muslims incorporate a recitation of one juz’ into each of the thirty tarawih sessions observed during the month.[citation needed]
Cultural practices
A Kebab seller from Chwakbazar Iftar Market in Old Dhaka. The Chowk Bazaar neighborhood of Old Dhaka is famous for its century-old Iftar Bazar.
In some Islamic countries, lights (fanous) are strung up in public squares and across city streets,[77][78][79] a tradition believed to have originated during the Fatimid Caliphate, where the rule of Caliph al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah was acclaimed by people holding lanterns.[80]
On the island of Java, many believers bathe in holy springs to prepare for fasting, a ritual known as Padusan.[81] The city of Semarang marks the beginning of Ramadan with the Dugderan carnival, which involves parading the warak ngendog, a horse-dragon hybrid creature allegedly inspired by the Buraq.[82] In the Chinese-influenced capital city of Jakarta, firecrackers are widely used to celebrate Ramadan, although they are officially illegal.[83] Towards the end of Ramadan, most employees receive a one-month bonus known as Tunjangan Hari Raya.[84] Certain kinds of food are especially popular during Ramadan, such as large beef or buffalo in Aceh and snails in Central Java.[85] The iftar meal is announced every evening by striking the bedug, a giant drum, in the mosque.[86]
Common greetings during Ramadan include Ramadan mubarak and Ramadan kareem, which mean (have a) “blessed Ramadan” and “generous Ramadan” respectively.[87]
During Ramadan in the Middle East, a mesaharati beats a drum across a neighbourhood to wake people up to eat the suhoor meal.[88] Similarly in Southeast Asia, the kentongan slit drum is used for the same purpose.[89]
Ramadan attracts significant increases in television viewership, as the usual prime time hours coincide with the iftar, and are commonly extended into the late-night hours to coincide with the suhur. Broadcasters in the Arab world traditionally premiere serial dramas known as musalsal during Ramadan; they are similar in style to Latin American telenovelas, and are typically around 30 episodes in length so that they run over the length of the month.[90][91][92] Advertisers in the region have considered Ramadan to be comparable to the Super Bowl on U.S. television in terms of impact and importance; the cost of a 30-second commercial in peak time during Ramadan is usually more than double than normal.[93][94]