Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, signifies the holy month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community, and is observed by Muslims worldwide. The month commemorates Prophet Mohammed’s first revelation, by which it’s believed that angel Jibril revealed to him the beginnings of what would become the Qu’ran.
The observance is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are obligatory acts of worship for all Muslims, and lasts 29 to 30 days.
However, the date of the month-long festival changes every year as it’s tied to the movements of the moon.
The start date begins with the sighting of the first faint crescent moon, 1.5 days after being a New Moon.
This moon is described as the “Youngest Moon” or the “Ramadan Moon”, and its appearance signifies the end of Islamic month Shaban, and the start of the month of Ramadan.
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This month will see more than two billion Muslims worldwide take part in a fast from sunrise to sunset.
During this time, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking – as well as gossip, slander, and activities deemed sinful, such as smoking.
Many Muslims take this time to give Zakat (charity), through donating part of their wealth to those less fortunate, as it’s believed to be a more rewarding period to do so.
Muslims will venture out to look for the moon on the 29th of the current month, and if it’s spotted, Shaban will end – if it’s not, the month will carry on an extra day.
The moon’s visibility can vary with local weather conditions and also whether or not the moon could be visible in general – so there are no fixed annual dates.
When the fast begins, Muslims will eat one meal before sunrise and another after sunset, but cannot consume anything else – even water – during daylight hours.
Islamic relief has published a Ramadan timetable for 2022, where you can find out when sunrise and sunset will start and end during this period, indicating when the daily fast can be broken.
When will Ramadan end?
The next Full Moon, the pink moon, should fall on April 16, which will signify the middle of Ramadan.
Ramadan should then draw to a close on Sunday, May 1, and will be marked with Eid al-Fitr, a three-day festival where Muslims will break the fast.
This festival, again, is determined by moon sighting, meaning it could actually end on Monday, May 2, depending on how bright the new crescent moon is.
The Islamic calendar, unlike the sun-based Gregorian calendar that most of the Western world adheres to, is based on the moon’s cycle.
Many of the world’s religions and communities also base key dates and festivals on the cycle of the moon too, including Chinese New Year – which is also known as Lunar New Year.
Lunar months only last 29.5 days, making lunar years shorter than Gregorian years by half a day.
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