The month of Ramadan, the ninth and most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, started on the 2nd and 3rd of April. Muslims all around the world fast from sunrise to sundown for the entire month.
The start of Ramadan, although different for some people, is determined by the sighting of the moon, usually made by a committee in Saudi Arabia.
Ramadan is an incredibly meaningful time for Muslims.
Matina Kamal, a sixth former explained what Ramadan is to her. “It is a spiritual time for me to get closer to Allah Almighty and understand my religion better, as well as help me have personal growth and repair my relationships, not only with God but with people in my life as well.”
“Ramadan is a time when you can reflect and feel compassionate for those who have less than you. It also allows you to spend time with your family, like at iftaar and sehri,” said Mohammed Khan.
Fasting for Muslims can be quite arduous, especially during work and school - thankfully 2 weeks of Ramadan is in the Easter holidays.
“Fasting during school can be slightly annoying. My body is used to eating at certain times and it feels strange to be going against it,” said Naairah Khan. “ However, I like the fact that every day, I get to eat good, tasty food everyday.”
Matina also explained that it was hard fasting since summer exam preparations have overlapped with Ramadan. “Especially considering I live far away, it made it harder for me to eat sehri and pray.”
Normally, for Iftar, people will eat traditional food as their meal. When they first break their fast, they will eat light food, such as dates, samosas, pakoras and a drink. After doing their Maghrib prayer, people will have a full meal, such a biryani and chickpeas. There will also be a lot of sharing food with neighbours, family and friends.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed that Eid will be on Monday the 2nd of May. Although fasting can be hard, it will be missed until next year, when Muslims get to do it all over again.
