Ramadan begins
At sunset on 10 March, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar (Ramadan) begins, marking the start of the fasting period for Muslims. The first day of fasting is Monday 11 March, but this may be delayed until 12 March depending on the sighting of the new moon in some countries.
Ramadan begins
Culture and Innovation

Ramadan begins

Photo: AFP/Anadolu Agency/Murtadha Al-Sudani
Meszár Tárik 10/03/2024 20:31

At sunset on 10 March, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar (Ramadan) begins, marking the start of the fasting period for Muslims. The first day of fasting is Monday 11 March, but this may be delayed until 12 March depending on the sighting of the new moon in some countries.

Ramadan in a nutshell

Ramadan affects more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and is considered a month of fasting and spirituality. It is believed to be the month when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

The month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Islamic religion, along with the profession of faith, five times daily prayer, giving and pilgrimage. An important feature of this festive month is that it falls on a different date each year, as Muslims do not follow the Gregorian calendar we use, but the lunar calendar, where a year consists of 12 months and 354 or 355 days in a year. The fasting period lasts for 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the new moon, at the beginning of the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. During this period, Muslims must abstain from eating and drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse, from sunrise to sunset, and avoid anger, envy, violence, lust and gossip. Children under 14 years of age, persons on the move, the sick, pregnant and nursing mothers, and persons engaged in war are exempted from the above-mentioned obligations.
Fotó: AFP/Juni Kriswanto
An important element of this period is that families gather after sunset and have a meal together. The basic aims of the festive month include purification of body and soul, increasing patience, abstinence and religious reflection.

Eid el fitr

Ramadan is accompanied by an important holiday, Eid el fitr (the festival of breaking the fast), which also marks the end of Ramadan. It takes place on the first three days of the month of Shavwal following the month of fasting. Its significance in Islamic countries is comparable to the most important festivals in Christian countries.


The author is a senior researcher at the Eurasia Center
Fotó: iStock

We use cookies on our website. If you consent to their use, we use them to measure and analyze the use of the website.
Information and Settings