Ramadan, a sacred month. Ramadan is a muslim holiday that lasts for a month where you cannot eat or drink water from dawn until dusk. It starts with getting up at dawn to eat breakfast. Breaking the fast is called Iftar, during which you eat dates and drink water, followed by a full dinner. Every year, the date of Ramadan changes. It begins 10-12 days earlier each year. It’s celebrated by the majority of 1.6 billion Muslims all around the world. During Ramadan, there are five prayers that are performed, Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and Isha (night). Muslims pray five times a day to fulfill the obligation given upon them by the command of Allah through His Holy Messenger. Many Muslims go to the mosque and spend several hours praying.

This year it starts on Wednesday, March 22 and it ends on Thursday, April 20. The purpose of Ramadan is to get closer to God. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is one of the most sacred times for Muslims. There are five pillars of Islam, one of them being fasting during Ramadan. The other four pillars are faith, prayer, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Fasting was instituted in this month as one of the five pillars of Islam as a way for believers to show their thanks to God and reflect on the teachings of the Qur’an and its importance for believers.

In 610 A.D, God gave the Prophet Muhammad the Qu’ran, Islam’s holy book during the month of Ramadan. It is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan begins each year when the first sliver of the crescent moon (waxing crescent moon following a new moon) appears in the ninth month.

There are many ways of celebrating Ramadan. It’s another way to appreciate the religion and being a part of the culture. 

“Ramadan basically means to me spending time with family and being closer to the religion more,” said junior Maisha Taseen. “Trying to bring yourself closer to it because the entire thing is that Ramadan is like oh, the devil’s locked away for these 30 days.”

After the thirty days of fasting for Ramadan, there is a holiday which occurs after Ramadan called “Eid” and it lasts for three days. It is celebrated with friends and family with feasts and gift exchanges for the children. It is a way to celebrate the completion of thirty days of fasting. “Eid Mubarak” is a common greeting used during this time and it means “blessed holiday”. Eid is a time to thank Allah (God) for the strength to practice self control throughout the entire month of Ramadan, as well as seek forgiveness for their sins.