Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is nearly here.
The holy month is marked by Muslims fasting from sunrise until sunset every day.
Unlike the Gregorian calendar we follow in the UK, the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, causing a change in when Ramadan starts and ends each year.
So, here is the low down on when Ramanda starts in 2022 and when it is due to end.
When is Ramadan in 2022 and how long does it last?
Ramadan is set to kick off on Saturday, April 2, and conclude on Sunday, May 1.
That’s 11 days before last year’s Ramadan.
Sajad Mahmood, the CEO of a Muslim charity, explained to Metro.co.uk that the start and end dates for Ramadan are based on the lunar cycle.
Mahmood said: ‘The easiest way to explain the start and ends dates of Ramadan is that the entire Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, the cycles of the moon.
‘Ramadan rotates by ten or so days every year and starts when the crescent moon is sighted. Hence the dates move around every year and keep getting earlier and earlier.’
During the month, Muslims are asked to fast during the day, study the Quran, donate money to the poor – called Zakat – and commit more time to prayers.
Ramadan is seen as a time to work on one’s connection to Allah, strengthen self-discipline and reflect on spiritual matters.
Those who are acutely or chronically ill, diabetic, menstruating, or breastfeeding do not have to fast, as well as children who haven’t hit puberty yet and the elderly.
When the month of fasting comes to an end, Eid al-Fitr, also known as the Festival of Breaking the Fast, takes place.
This year, the festival will begin on the evening of Monday, May 2, and end on Tuesday, May 3.
What do Muslims avoid during Ramadan?
Throughout the Ramadan period, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual intimacy during the hours of fasting which last from sunrise to sunset.
Smoking and chewing gum are also avoided as the fast asks for abstinence from any sort of consumption.
Charity Right’s Sajad Mahmood, says: ‘chewing gum is prohibited during fasting hours, as it contains sugars, which are ingested when chewed.’
Observers are also discouraged from engaging in immoral or bad habits like swearing.
Mahmood explained the purpose of this abstinence period, saying: ‘The aim of Ramadan is to help set you up with good habits for the rest of the year so you are stronger spiritually and mentally than you were before.’
He added: ‘As Ramadan is an extremely holy month in which the word of God, Allah, was revealed via the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed, Muslims are also expected to refrain from other acts to allow their focus to be solely on strengthening their spirituality and reading the word of God through the Holy Quran.’
MORE : Tips for exercising safely while fasting during Ramadan
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