Understanding Ramadan, Muslim Holy Month

Muslim women bow during evening prayer at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the first day of the month of Ramadan on June 6, 2016. RNS photo by Alexandra Radu

Ramadan Information Sheet from Islamic Networks Group (ING)

Islamic Networks Group (ING) is a peace-building organization providing face-to-face education and engagement opportunities that foster understanding of Muslims and other misunderstood groups to promote harmony among all people.

Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers. Those unable to fast, such as pregnant or nursing women, the sick, or elderly people and children, are exempt from fasting.

A Muslim man prays before his iftar (breaking fast) meal on the first day of Ramadan in India, at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi, India, on June 7, 2016. Photo courtesy of Reuters/Adnan Abidi

Six questions on Ramadan answered By Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Religion News

Why is Ramadan called Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the new crescent moon is (or should be) visible.

The Arabic term Ramadan connotes intense heat. It seems that in pre-Islamic Arabia, Ramadan was the name of a scorching hot summer month. In the Islamic calendar, however, the timing of Ramadan varies from year to year. This year Ramadan will begin around May 27; next year it will begin around May 16. (An Islamic year is roughly 11 days shorter than a Gregorian year.)