Ramadan is the holy month, which is used to have a deeper connection with god, Allah. Besides just fasting, it is the month of charity and restraint. During this time, Blessings are doubled, and sins are, too. The Islamic calendar follows the Lunar cycle; as a result, Ramadan falls ten days earlier than the year before, often lasting for 29 to 30 days. It is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. In this month, muslims believed, the revelation of the Holy Quran was sent from heaven as a means for the direction of women and men and the means of salvation. (Also, this is the time in which people try their hardest to break their bad habits.)
This year, Ramadan started in the evening of February 17 - the evening of March 19, 2026. Muslims typically fast from Sunrise to Sunset. Before then, it's Suhoor, in which Muslims wake up before sunrise and eat and drink before the day fast until Fajr, the first prayer of the day, which is before sunrise. (You're able to pray until sunrise.) Fajr is normally 2 rakaks, but in Rahmadan it's advised to do 4, as this is the month with the most blessings. During this month, they are not allowed to drink or eat during the day.
Fasting is a private act of worship bringing the nearness to Allah. It is also a form of spiritual discipline and gratitude practice, as we're able to eat and drink while those who are less fortunate can’t. At the end of the day, the fast is broken during iftar, during sunset time, in which they would often break it with a date, saying bismillah, in the name of Allah or alhamdulillah, thank god. They say once we break the fast 60,00 people are released from the gates of hell, and many would be forgiven.
Sometimes Muslims would spend hours praying. In addition to the daily 5 prayers, they pray a sixth one called the Tarawih prayer which is a night prayer. On the 27th day of ramadan, there is a day called Layat al-Qadr, which is the night of power. It's not known exactly what day it is, as it encourages muslim to focus mainly on the last ten days instead of that one day. It is believed that Muhammed had first received the Holy Qur’an on this night. The last 10 days of the month is seen as giving the blessings of a thousand months of worship.
However, not all have Fast. If one is ill, travelling, pregnant, elderly, has very young children, menstruating, or has a medical condition in which fasting would cause harm, Ramadan excuses those, as it would cause more harm than good for them.
This year, Ramadan started in the evening of February 17 - the evening of March 19, 2026. Muslims typically fast from Sunrise to Sunset. Before then, it's Suhoor, in which Muslims wake up before sunrise and eat and drink before the day fast until Fajr, the first prayer of the day, which is before sunrise. (You're able to pray until sunrise.) Fajr is normally 2 rakaks, but in Rahmadan it's advised to do 4, as this is the month with the most blessings. During this month, they are not allowed to drink or eat during the day.
Fasting is a private act of worship bringing the nearness to Allah. It is also a form of spiritual discipline and gratitude practice, as we're able to eat and drink while those who are less fortunate can’t. At the end of the day, the fast is broken during iftar, during sunset time, in which they would often break it with a date, saying bismillah, in the name of Allah or alhamdulillah, thank god. They say once we break the fast 60,00 people are released from the gates of hell, and many would be forgiven.
Sometimes Muslims would spend hours praying. In addition to the daily 5 prayers, they pray a sixth one called the Tarawih prayer which is a night prayer. On the 27th day of ramadan, there is a day called Layat al-Qadr, which is the night of power. It's not known exactly what day it is, as it encourages muslim to focus mainly on the last ten days instead of that one day. It is believed that Muhammed had first received the Holy Qur’an on this night. The last 10 days of the month is seen as giving the blessings of a thousand months of worship.
However, not all have Fast. If one is ill, travelling, pregnant, elderly, has very young children, menstruating, or has a medical condition in which fasting would cause harm, Ramadan excuses those, as it would cause more harm than good for them.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr is the celebration of the end of Ramadan and also celebrates the first day of the tenth month in the islamic calender. Eid al-Fitr lasts for a day, and this year it's on March 19, 2026. It's a celebration to Allah to thank him for giving you the strength to get through the strict fasting of Ramadan. It's celebrated by waking up early and greeting your family, doing all your prayers, preforming ghusl in which is the cleansing ritual, wearing new clothes (optional), having breakfast with everyone, give charity, praying in mosque (men has to women do not have to but can if they want), greeting everyone, and visiting relatives and friends houses. It's an important month as Ramadan is to strengthen the bond between you and Allah (SWT), recite the quran, and exercise great willpower.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-adha which is called the festival of sacrifice. It is considered the great Eid because it holds great religious significance and devotion. It's to celebrate the day of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) when he followed through Allah's command to prepare the sacrifice of his son Ismail. The prophet had a dream 3 days in a row of him killing his son, which he then realized was the command of Allah. His son Ismail told him to tie him to a tree so he wouldn’t squirm and blind fold him. As he was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him, telling him it was a test, and told him to kill the goat he bought from heaven to earth to be killed instead. So from then on, it was celebrated every year as they sacrifice a goat, but in a way that didn’t scare the animal and killed it in the name of Allah to eat. The holiday lasts for three days, which is a feast. Gifts are also given during the time given.
Eid al-Adha begins after the Hajj pilgrimage, which is a journey a muslim must take at least once in their lifetime if they can afford the trip, as it is one of the 5 pillars of Islam: fasting, zakat (charity), faith, prayers, and the journey to the pilgrimage. The kaaba, which is in the hajj pilgrimage, was made by prophet Ibouhima and his son, Ismail. One of the stones used to build it is to be said to have come from heaven from an angel, which was white that turned black because of the sins in the world. The kaaba is where every muslim in the world prays, no matter where.
Eid al-Adha begins after the Hajj pilgrimage, which is a journey a muslim must take at least once in their lifetime if they can afford the trip, as it is one of the 5 pillars of Islam: fasting, zakat (charity), faith, prayers, and the journey to the pilgrimage. The kaaba, which is in the hajj pilgrimage, was made by prophet Ibouhima and his son, Ismail. One of the stones used to build it is to be said to have come from heaven from an angel, which was white that turned black because of the sins in the world. The kaaba is where every muslim in the world prays, no matter where.
