Ramadan Begins

The start of Ramadan marks the beginning of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, a period of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community observed by well over a billion Muslims worldwide. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and roughly eleven days shorter than the solar Gregorian calendar, the start of Ramadan shifts earlier each year, cycling through all four seasons over the course of approximately 33 years. During Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn until sunset each day, a practice known as sawm, one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The fast is intended to cultivate spiritual discipline, empathy for those less fortunate, gratitude, and closeness to God, and it is broken each evening with a meal called iftar, often shared communally with family, friends, and neighbors. The pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins is known as suhoor. Beyond fasting, Ramadan is a time of increased prayer, recitation of the Quran, charitable giving, and self-reflection, with many mosques hosting special nightly prayers called Tarawih throughout the month. The month concludes with the joyous celebration of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting period with festive meals, gift-giving, and communal prayers among family and friends.