Muslims begin Ramadan. Here's what to know about holy month of fasting, faith
Ramadan, considered the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, kicks off Saturday.
Muslims worldwide will wake up to start a month of fasting from dawn to dusk. Much like the Lenten season for Catholics, it calls on those practicing religion to strengthen their connection to God.
Muslims strengthen their faith by fasting, prayer, spending extra time reading the Qur'an and abstaining from ill behavior, according to the Islamic Network Group.
This year, Ramadan falls on March 1-29. It shifts 10 -11 days earlier every year, following a lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar used in the U.S.
It is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is believed to be the time that the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed.
Religious leaders, known as Imams, will lead the Taraweeh, in which they recite parts of the Qua'ran until they have completed the book by the end of the month.
The holy month is capped off with a three-day festival known as Eid ul-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast. This festival is celebrated with food, games, and presents for children.
Believers who have reached puberty and are physically capable are expected to fast. Children, the sick, pregnant or nursing women, and the elderly are exempt.
Mosques often hold nightly dinners called Iftars to break the fast. These dinners are a way for friends and family to gather and build community.
More: Ramadan will soon be over. Here's why I'll miss it, despite the challenges of fasting.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What is Ramadan and what you need to know about it
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
13 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Milton's Muslim community celebrates Eid al-Adha with prayer, sacrifice and community spirit
Milton's Muslim community came together to mark two of the most sacred observances in the Islamic calendar—Hajj and Eid al-Adha—through prayer, celebration, and acts of charity that reflected the values of unity and compassion. Eid al-Adha, known as the festival of sacrifice, follows the completion of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This year's pilgrimage ran from June 4 to 9, drawing millions of Muslims from around the world to perform the rites in the Islamic holy city. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, a journey that every Muslim is expected to undertake at least once in their lifetime, if physically and financially able. For those who remain at home, Eid al-Adha is marked with early morning congregational prayers, festive meals, and the ritual of Qurbani—the symbolic sacrifice of an animal such as a goat, sheep or cow. The meat is divided into three parts: one for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for people in need. 'The essence of Qurbani is sacrifice and giving,' said Hamid Qureshi, a longtime Milton resident and active community volunteer. 'It reminds us that faith is not just about rituals, but about sharing what we have with others, especially the less fortunate.' Hundreds gathered across Milton on June 6 for Eid prayers at local mosques, rented halls and community centres. The Islamic Centre of Milton, among other venues, hosted morning services followed by sermons, refreshments, and community activities. 'Eid is a time when we come together not just as families, but as a community,' said Faizan Malik, who attended Eid prayers with his family. 'You see people you haven't seen in a long time, you hug strangers, and it's all about that connection and joy.' Following the prayers, many local Muslim families carried out their Qurbani through certified halal meat suppliers, with several also contributing to charitable campaigns that distributed meat locally and overseas. 'Young people especially have been getting involved in food drives and donation initiatives,' said Talha Mahmood, a youth organizer with a Milton Muslim student group. 'It's inspiring to see them leading with compassion.' Milton is home to a diverse and growing Muslim population, estimated at over 15,000. Across the wider Halton Region—including Burlington, Oakville and Halton Hills—the Muslim population is estimated at more than 25,000, according to local community data and recent census trends. Residents hail from a wide range of backgrounds including South Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and Southeast Asian communities. For many, Milton's multicultural fabric makes it an ideal place to practise and share their faith. 'There's a lot more openness and curiosity now,' said Qureshi. 'People want to learn about what their neighbours believe. That's how you build understanding.' Despite this progress, community members say there is still work to be done to dispel myths about Islamic traditions like Hajj and Eid al-Adha. 'Eid isn't just about celebration—it's a reminder of our duty to help others and be better citizens,' Malik said. 'And that's something everyone can relate to, regardless of faith.' Residents interested in learning more about Islamic customs and local events are encouraged to reach out to the Islamic Centre of Milton, Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) Halton, or other community organizations hosting outreach events and interfaith dialogues throughout the year. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pastor opens dialogue on Christianity and LGBTQ+ in Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A Rockford pastor is working to bridge Christian theology with the LGBTQ+ community by hosting a conversation on Biblical scripture and sexuality. 'Just because it's not listed [in the Bible], that there are others within that spectrum, it doesn't mean that they're not God ordained,' said Zion Lutheran Pastor Mike Thomas, who led a conversation on Christian scripture and its relation to sexuality on Tuesday afternoon at Katie's Cup, 502 7th Street. Thomas said it took him 30 years to become an LGBTQ+ ally. 'I wasn't advocating. I was spineless,' he said. Today, Thomas is using Pride Month to open a conversation on how Christianity and sexuality intersect. 'We celebrate having conversations like this one today here, as well as at church on Sunday, to talk about what does the Scripture say about people who are in the gay community,' Thomas said. In many denominations, views interpreting homosexuality as a sin or aberration have softened, with recent studies showing a growing number of Americans support the LGBTQ+ community. 71-year-old Debbie Raymond said attitudes toward gay people have come a long way. 'At the beginning, it was very tough. You basically lived in a closet, you know, you didn't talk very much,' she recalled. Now, she's a proud member of the Lutheran church. Raymond credited events such as the one at Katie's Cup for helping to bring her and others back to religion. 'Go talk to pastors, go talk to congregations. You know, do your research, understand the first rule: I was born this way,' she said. 'It's wonderful to be able to change people's perspective on understanding what Scripture says, as well as what the central message of God's grace and mercy, through Christ. In the Gospels, that's the emphasis that we focus on,' Thomas said. Thomas also said he saw more Christian denominations than ever before at this year's on Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
5 takeaways from a major new report on religion around the world
This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night. When people hear that researching religion is part of my job, they often ask me very specific questions about faith-related issues that have been in the news. After I disappoint them by not immediately knowing the answers, I turn to Google for help. My job has made me a search engine expert, not a religion expert. The questions that still trip me up even when I've got a strong internet connection are about the religious makeup of faraway countries. It's hard for me to quickly find info about religious life in the Czech Republic or New Zealand and then talk about what that info means for the athlete or politician who's grabbing headlines in the U.S. But now, I've got an exciting new tool in my trivia tool belt. On Monday, Pew Research Center released an interactive website that shows the religious makeup of nearly every country in the world in a single (very large) table. Once you're on the page, it takes only a few seconds to confirm that New Zealand was 40.3% Christian in 2020 or that the Czech Republic is dominated by religious 'nones.' Pew's interactive table was released alongside a new report discussing how the global religious landscape changed from 2010 to 2020. Based on more than 2,700 censuses and surveys, the report provides an in-depth look at 201 countries and territories — and plenty of fodder for conversations with your friends. Here are five key takeaways from Pew's new analysis of the global religious landscape. Christianity is the world's largest faith group, but it's not keeping pace with global population growth. In 2010, 30.6% of the world identified as Christian. By 2020, that figure had fallen to 28.8%. Islam is the fastest growing religious group. 'The number of Muslims increased by 347 million (from 2010 to 2020) — more than all other religions combined,' researchers wrote. Sub-Saharan Africa is now the region of the world where most Christians live. In 2010, Europe held that title. As of 2020, the United States has the second-largest number of religiously unaffiliated residents. China has the most. The growth of Islam from 2010 to 2020 was mostly due to natural population growth, while the decline of Christianity stemmed, in large part, from religious switching. 'Religious 'switching' — especially people shedding their religious identity after having been raised as Christians — explains much of the unaffiliated population's growth between 2010 and 2020," Pew reported. Americans are divided over religious freedom. The Supreme Court? Not as much How 'Jeopardy!' can save us all, according to Ken Jennings The Supreme Court's surprising decision day This top running back says he believes in God, not the so-called 'Madden curse' A religious school is facing pushback for its partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Hidden Christianity is a unique form of Christianity practiced on some of Japan's rural islands. It gets its name from the fact that its earliest practitioners really were hiding their faith to avoid persecution. 'Hidden Christians were forced to hide all visible signs of their religion after the 1614 ban on Christianity and the expulsion of foreign missionaries. Households took turns hiding precious ritual objects and hosting the secret services that celebrated both faith and persistence,' according to The Associated Press. Early practitioners disguised their Christian icons by making them appear to be Buddhist. Even after it was safe to be openly Christian again, many families continued these secretive practices, in part because they wanted to honor loved ones who'd risked their lives and in part because they didn't fit in with mainstream Christians, the AP reported. 'Many Hidden Christians rejected Catholicism after the persecution ended because Catholic priests refused to recognize them as real Christians unless they agreed to be rebaptized and abandon the Buddhist altars that their ancestors used,' the article said. Hidden Christianity may soon be just a memory in Japan, since most current practitioners are quite old and most young people who grew up with the traditions have moved to cities and either don't want to or can't access the gatherings. A controversial research project featuring faith leaders using psychedelic drugs was released last month after a long delay. The report showed that nearly all of the members of the clergy who took part described their experiences with psilocybin as some of the most spiritually significant of their lives, but health and religion experts don't agree on what type of additional research or policy proposals that finding should inspire, according to Religion News Service. Which groups face the most discrimination in the United States? Pew Research Center recently asked Americans to weigh in, and the survey report offers an in-depth look at how people's political views influence their thoughts about discrimination. My Deseret News colleague Krysyan Edler recently wrote about the inspiring life of Caroline Klein, the chief communications officer for Smith Entertainment Group. After being diagnosed with cancer in her thirties, Klein committed to living every day like there might not be a tomorrow. 'Nothing about my situation is sad to me, but I want to make sure that when I'm gone, I've left people with a lot of great memories that bring them joy, too,' she said. After years of daydreaming about getting back into tennis, I finally started a summer tennis class on Saturday. It felt so good! Take this as the nudge you need to do that thing you've been dreaming about.
