When is Ramadan 2025? What is Ramadan? What to know about Islam's holiest time of the year
At the end of February, when the waxing crescent moon is sighted, more than 2 billion Muslims worldwide will begin observing the holy month of Ramadan.
During Ramadan, Muslims will focus on God-consciousness, self-reflection, and self-improvement all month as they fast, abstaining from food and water between sunrise and sunset.
That's right, not even water.
Want to learn more about Islam's holiest time of the year? Here's everything you need to know.
Every year, the month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar officially begins and ends with the sighting of the crescent moon, as the religion follows the lunar calendar.
According to Islamic Relief, the first night of Ramadan in 2025 is expected to fall on the evening of February 28 and will last from 29–30 days when the next waxing crescent moon is sighted.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and lasts 29–30 days. Ramadan commemorates the revelation where the angel Jibril (Gabriel) revealed the holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad.
Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan, and the observance is not limited to just Muslims—non-Muslims are also welcome to participate in Ramadan activities.
A typical day during Ramadan begins like this: Muslims will wake up before dawn to eat a meal called suhoor. Once dawn breaks, the fasting begins. Then, right at sunset, the fasting will end with a meal called iftar.
Muslims don't just fast—they are encouraged to read the Quran, practice gratitude and compassion, avoid wrongdoings and temptations, and give to those in need. While stomachs are empty, Muslims practice self-control while taking advantage of this month to accumulate blessings and spiritual discipline.
Friends and families will say "Ramadan Mubarak" to each other, which means "blessed Ramadan," and often gather for iftar to cook and eat delicious food and worship together. After the five obligatory daily prayers, an optional prayer called Taraweeh is performed at night.
Although Muslims are obligated to fast, they must be healthy individuals of age. Exemptions include:
The elderly
Those who are pregnant or menstruating
Children who haven't reached puberty
People with illnesses
Those exempt from fasting will still participate in other aspects of Ramadan and can make up their fasts after Ramadan. However, for those who are unable to make up their fasts due to illness, they are required to give fidya, or donate a meal for someone to be fed for each day they missed their fasts.
Taraweeh is a special prayer and can only be performed during Ramadan. Taraweeh is meant to strengthen faith, connect to God, and seek forgiveness. Taraweeh means to 'rest and relax' in Arabic, as the prayer is meant to be performed comfortably.
This prayer is usually performed at a mosque, but can also be conducted at home.
The last ten days of Ramadan are said to be overflowing with God's mercy and forgiveness, and Muslims spend much time focusing on worship. During these last ten days, Muslims also perform i'tikaf, which is the act of spending days and nights in a mosque to perform devout worship.
The night of power, or Laylat-ul-Qadr, will fall during one of these last ten nights.
The night of power, or Laylat-ul-Qadr, is known as the night the holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. This night only occurs during one of the last ten nights of Ramadan and will last from sunset to sunrise. The exact date of this night is undefined but is believed to fall during an odd-numbered night.
According to the Quran, this night of worship is equivalent to a thousand nights of worship, as the night provides great rewards and blessings.
Muslims participating in Ramadan tend to give more, as generosity is heavily encouraged during this time. This generosity is called sadaqah, or voluntary charity, and it can take many forms, such as feeding someone a meal, donating to charity, performing a good deed or performing an act of kindness.
The holiday marking the end of Ramadan is Eid al-Fitr (or Eid ul-Fitr). It will last one day and is likely to begin on the night of March 30, 2025, per Islamic Relief.
In the morning that day, Muslims will gather at mosques worldwide for a community-wide prayer and to greet other Muslims by saying 'Eid Mubarak', which means 'Blessed Eid' in Arabic. Traditions include celebrating with friends and family, wearing brand-new clothing, eating delicious food, and giving sadaqah.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: When is Ramadan 2025? More on origins, traditions of Islamic holy month
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