

In 1996, then-first lady Hillary Clinton hosted the first Eid al-Fitr dinner at the White House. It starts the day after Ramadan ends and lasts for three days.Įid al-Fitr includes special prayers and meals with friends and relatives, and gifts are often exchanged. The conclusion of Ramadan is marked with a major celebration known as Eid al-Fitr (or Eid ul-Fitr), the Feast of Fast-Breaking. The types of foods served vary according to culture. Iftars are often elaborate feasts celebrated with family and friends. The first pre-dawn meal of the day during Ramadan is called “suhoor.” Each day’s fast is broken with a meal known as “iftar.” Traditionally, a date is eaten to break the fast.


The sick and elderly, along with travelers, pregnant women and those who are nursing are exempt, although they are supposed to make up for the missed fast days sometime in the future or help feed the poor. Muslims go to work and school and take care of their usual activities during Ramadan however, some also read the entire Quran, say special prayers and attend mosques more frequently during this time.Īll Muslims who have reached puberty and are in good health are required to fast. Fasting is seen as a way to cleanse the soul and have empathy for those in the world who are hungry and less fortunate. Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint and self-reflection. They are supposed to avoid eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity, as well as unkind or impure thoughts and words and immoral behavior. So whoever sights the month, let him fast it.” The Rules of Ramadanĭuring Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk each day. “The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur’an, guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. Ramadan is celebrated as the month during which Muhammad received the initial revelations of what became the Quran, the holy book for Muslims, from God. The lunar calendar falls short of the solar calendar by 11 days.Īs a result, Ramadan doesn’t start on the same date each year and instead, over time, passes through all the seasons Why Is Ramadan Celebrated? Ramadan is the ninth month of the 12-month Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar that’s based on the phases of the moon. Ramadan 2023 begins at sunset on Wednesday, March 22, and ends on Thursday, April 20. The pillars include shahada (a declaration of faith: “There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God”) prayer (Muslims pray five times a day) zakat (charitable giving) fasting and pilgrimage (Muslims are supposed to make a trip, or “hajj,” to the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, at least once in a lifetime if they are physically and financially able).
#Ramadan first day 2022 series#
In Arabic, Islam means “submission” or “surrender” (to God).Ī series of formal acts of worship, known as the Five Pillars of Islam, are fundamental to the lives of Muslims. Muslims believe there is one all-knowing God, and people can achieve salvation by following his commandments. Muhammad is, according to Muslims, the final prophet in a line of prophets (including Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus) who were chosen by God to act as messengers and teach mankind. The revelations were collected into a 114-chapter holy book known as the Quran (or Koran), which Muslims believe contains the exact words of God. 570-632) from the Arabian city of Mecca started receiving revelations from God, or Allah, via the angel Gabriel. was constructed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the 1930s. What's believed to be the oldest surviving mosque in the U.S. The mosque was torn down in the 1970s and later replaced. There are an estimated 7 million Muslims in America, along with Islamic places of worship, called mosques, in all 50 states.ĭid you know? America's first mosque was built by Lebanese immigrants in North Dakota in the 1920s. Islam originated in Arabia and has spread all over the world.Ĭountries with the largest Muslim populations include Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey and Iran. Islam is the world’s second largest religion after Christianity and has more than 1 billion followers.
