What is Ramadan? When does it happen? What to know about Muslims' favorite time of the year
Nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide will celebrate the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims will fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink. Muslims will focus on God-consciousness, self-reflection, and self-improvement all month.
When is Ramadan? When does it end?
It officially begins and ends with the sighting of the crescent moon. Following the lunar calendar, the first night of Ramadan will fall on the evening of March 10 and last 29-30 days.
Who celebrates Ramadan?
Muslims across the world celebrate Ramadan. It is one of the most important and holy observances in Islam.
What is the importance of Ramadan for Muslims?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and lasts 29-30 days. Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad.
Muslims don’t just fast—they are encouraged to read the Quran, practice gratitude and compassion, avoid wrongdoings and temptations, and give to those in need. While stomachs are empty, Muslims practice self-control while taking advantage of this month to accumulate blessings and spiritual discipline.
Who must fast during Ramadan?
Those who are obligated to fast are healthy individuals of age. Exemptions include the elderly, those who are pregnant or menstruating, children who haven’t reached puberty, and people with illnesses.
How do Muslims observe Ramadan?
Muslims will wake up, before sunrise, to eat a meal called suhoor. Once sunrise begins, so does fasting. The fast ends right at sunset with a meal called iftar. Friends and families often gather for iftar, cook and eat delicious food, and worship together.
After the five obligatory daily prayers, an optional prayer called Taraweeh is performed at night, meant as a chance to strengthen faith, connect to God, and seek forgiveness. Taraweeh means to ‘rest and relax’ in Arabic, as the prayer is meant to be performed comfortably. This prayer is usually performed at a mosque, but can also be conducted at home.
The last ten days of Ramadan are said to be overflowing with God’s mercy and forgiveness, and Muslims spend lots of time focusing on worship. Muslims also perform i’tikaf during these last ten days, which is the act of spending days and nights in a mosque to perform devout worship.
The night of power, or Laylat-ul-Qadr, will fall during one of these last ten nights. This night only occurs during Ramadan and will last from sunset to sunrise. The exact date of this night is undefined but is believed to fall during an odd-numbered night. According to the Quran, this night of worship is equivalent to a thousand nights of worship, as the night provides great rewards and blessings.
Generosity is heavily encouraged during this month. This is called sadaqah, or voluntary charity, and can be in many forms, such as feeding someone a meal, donating to charity, performing a good deed, or doing an act of kindness.
When is Eid al-Fitr?
The holiday marking the end of Ramadan is called Eid al-Fitr (or Eid ul-Fitr). This year, the festival is likely to fall on the night of April 9 and will last for one day.
In the morning that day, Muslims will gather at mosques across the world for a community-wide prayer and to greet other Muslims by saying ‘Eid Mubarak’, meaning ‘Blessed Eid’ in Arabic. Traditions include celebrating with friends and family, wearing brand-new clothing, eating delicious food, and giving sadaqah.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When is Ramadan 2024? Everything you need to know about the holy month
