MORE THAN ONE BILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WILL SOON MARK THE START OF ISLAM’S HOLIEST MONTH. IT’S EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON APRIL FIRST THIS YEAR.

SO WHAT IS RAMADAN AND WHY DO MUSLIMS FAST? 

RAMADAN IS A HOLIDAY PRACTICED BY ALL MUSLIMS. IT’S THE 9TH MONTH OF THE LUNAR BASED ISLAMIC CALENDAR. DURING THIS TIME MUSLIMS FAST FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN – TO SHOW THEIR DEVOTION TO GOD OR ‘ALLAH’

ITS CONSIDERED THE MOST HOLY MONTH OF ALL

ACCORDING TO ISLAM, RAMADAN IS BELEIVED TO BE THE TIME WHEN the ANGEL GABRIEL REVEALED THE WORD OF GOD TO MUHAMMAD – WHICH LATER BECAME THE QURAN

THIS INCLUDED INSTRUCTIONS TO HONOR THE SPECIAL MONTH 

SO EVERY YEAR WHEN THE MOON IS FIRST SIGHTED ON RAMADAN- ALL MUSLIMS WHO ARE HEALTHY AND PAST PUBERTY ARE REQUIRED TO FAST WHILE THE SUN IS IN THE SKY

THE FASTING INCLUDES ABSTINENCE FROM FOOD, WATER, SEX, VIOLENCE, AND SINFUL BEHAVIOUR

IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD, THIS FAST CAN LAST AS LONG AS 19 HOURS BUT MUSLIMS BELIEVE IT BRINGS THEM CLOSER TO GOD

FASTING IS ONE OF ISLAMS 5 CENTRAL PILLARS – 

WITH ISLAM AS THE SECOND LARGEST RELIGION GLOBALLY RAMADAN MAINTAINS A HIGH PROFILE AMONG WORLD HOLIDAYS