Ramadan Facts: What It Is, Why It Matters and What Muslims Do

The essential Ramadan facts are these: Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and during it Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day, taking no food or drink. It marks the month in which Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and fasting in it is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days and ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr. The most recent Ramadan began on February 18, 2026 in the calendar of the Fiqh Council of North America, and the next is expected to begin around February 8, 2027, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Ten interesting facts about Ramadan

Each of these is explained further down the page.

• Ramadan is a month, not a day. It is the ninth of the twelve months in the Islamic lunar calendar.
• It lasts 29 or 30 days. The month ends when the next crescent moon is sighted, or after 30 days if it is not.
• It moves through the seasons. In the Fiqh Council of North America's calendar it began on March 1 in 2025, February 18 in 2026 and is calculated for February 8 in 2027, about ten days earlier each year.
• The Quran names it. Ramadan is described in the Quran as the month in which the Quran was revealed (2:185).
• The fast runs from dawn to sunset, and it includes water.
• There are two fixed meals: suhoor before dawn and iftar at sunset.
• The fast is traditionally broken with dates. A hadith in Jami at-Tirmidhi describes the Prophet breaking his fast with fresh dates, or dried dates, or a few sips of water.
• One night is described as better than a thousand months. This is Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power (Quran 97:3).
• Not everyone fasts. People who are ill or traveling are exempt under the Quran and make the days up later.
• It ends with a charity payment and a festival: Zakat al-Fitr, then Eid al-Fitr.

What is Ramadan, and is it a Muslim holiday?

Ramadan is a Muslim observance, but it is not a holiday in the sense of a day off or a feast. It is a full month of fasting, prayer and charity. The holiday comes at the end: Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast.

The Arabic name is shahr Ramadan (شهر رمضان), the month of Ramadan. In English it is occasionally spelled Ramadaan. In South Asia, speakers of Urdu and related languages say Ramzan, so a search for the Ramzan festival is a search for the same month.

If you are wondering what Muslim holiday it is today: the two festivals of the Islamic year are Eid al-Fitr, on the first day after Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, about two months and ten days later during the Hajj pilgrimage.

Why Ramadan is important

The importance of Ramadan rests on three things in Islamic teaching.

First, revelation. The Quran says Ramadan is the month in which it was revealed as a guide for humanity (2:185). Muslims believe the first revelation came on Laylat al-Qadr, which the Quran calls better than a thousand months (97:3). A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari says to look for that night among the odd nights of the last ten days.

Second, obligation. Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside the declaration of faith, the daily prayers, Zakat and the Hajj pilgrimage (Sahih al-Bukhari 8).

Third, purpose. The Quran says fasting was prescribed so that believers may become mindful of God (2:183). In practice Muslims describe the month as training in self-discipline and as a reminder of what hunger is like for people who have no choice about it.

What do people do for Ramadan?

A person who observes Ramadan organizes the whole day around the fast.

• Suhoor: a meal before dawn. The Prophet encouraged it, saying there is blessing in it (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923).
• Fasting: no food or drink from dawn until sunset. Most Muslims also try to give up bad habits and avoid arguments and unkind speech.
• Iftar: the meal at sunset, usually started with dates and water, and often shared with family, neighbors or the whole mosque.
• Extra prayer: many Muslims attend additional night prayers at the mosque, known as Tarawih, during which the Quran is recited.
• Reading the Quran: many try to read all of it at least once during the month.
• Charity: people give more in Ramadan, and many choose it as the time to pay their yearly Zakat.

Who fasts and who is exempt

Fasting is expected of adult Muslims who are able to do it. The Quran exempts anyone who is ill or on a journey, who makes up the days later (2:184-185). Children are not expected to fast until puberty, and the BBC's guide to Ramadan also lists pregnant women and elderly people among those who do not have to fast.

The rules for individual cases, such as chronic illness or breastfeeding, vary between schools of thought. Anyone unsure should ask a scholar they trust, and anyone with a health condition should speak to their doctor before fasting.

Where Ramadan is celebrated

Ramadan is observed wherever Muslims live, which is almost everywhere. Pew Research Center counted 2.0 billion Muslims worldwide in 2020, about 26% of the world's population.

According to Pew, the largest numbers are in the Asia-Pacific region, and Indonesia has more Muslims than any other country, roughly 240 million. Muslims are the majority across the Middle East and North Africa. North America had about 5.9 million Muslims in 2020.

Because the start depends on the crescent moon, countries sometimes begin and end the month a day apart. We explain how that works in Eid around the world.

How Ramadan ends: why Muslims celebrate Eid

Ramadan ends when the crescent of the next month, Shawwal, is sighted. The first day of Shawwal is Eid al-Fitr. Muslims celebrate it to mark the completion of the fast and to thank God for the strength to finish it. Fasting on that day is not allowed.

Before the Eid prayer, every household pays Zakat al-Fitr, a small food-based charity, so that people in need can also eat well on the day. Our guide to Eid al-Fitr covers the festival in full.

Ramadan and families in Gaza

Ramadan is meant to teach what hunger feels like. For many families in Gaza, hunger is not limited to the daylight hours of one month. Displaced families have kept recent Ramadans in tents and shelters, with suhoor and iftar dependent on whatever food aid arrives.

Fight for Palestine funds food parcels and hot meals through local partner teams. You can give through the food assistance campaign, or see how we handle Zakat.