For Muslims, Ramadan is the Arabic name for the Islamic calendar’s ninth month. Muslims consider Ramadan as the holiest month of the year.
Ramadan is also part of the five pillars of Islam that are acts from Allah to Muslims. Moreover, it was during Ramadan that the prophet Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran. Therefore, recitation of the Quran is essential during Ramadan.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast as it brings them closer to Allah and strengthens their self-discipline and spirituality.
In the course of Ramadan, Muslims have a meal before dawn, referred to as Sehri. After Sehri, they consume nothing till sunset. After which, they have an evening meal referred to as Iftar.
During Ramadan, you will also find Muslims sharing with their neighbors and take part in charitable events to strengthen their faith. Moreover, an additional nighttime prayer called Taraweeh is incorporated.
The Islamic calendar follows the lunar calendar. Therefore, it has 12 months that last 29 or 30 days. The month of Ramadan is marked by the new moon’s first sighting that can be done by the use of telescopes or by the naked eye.
This year(2021) Ramadan started at sunset on Monday, April 12th and will end at sunset on Wednesday, May 12th.