RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — This year, the month-long Islamic celebration of Ramadan — a holy time when observing Muslims will not eat any food or drink anything, including water, between dawn and dusk — began on Sunday, March 10, and will end on Tuesday, April 9.
However, this isn’t the case every year — the dates on which Muslims celebrate Ramadan are dependent not on the widely-used Gregorian Calendar, but on the lunar cycle.
According to a publication released by the Office of Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life at the Massachusets Institute of Technology (MIT), the Islamic Calendar is calculated based on the cycle of the moon, with Ramadan taking place in the ninth month of this calendar each year.
These calculations can vary a bit depending on the method used. According to MIT, some Muslims use strict calculations to determine when Ramadan falls, while others follow moon sightings. Some use a combination of both. This can slightly shift the beginning and end dates of Ramadan for some Muslims, depending on their practices.
“What Muslims choose to follow can depend on their religious convictions, where they have lived in the world and what their families practice,” the MIT publication reads.
Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims take extra time for their faith, according to MIT. This can mean participating in additional religious practices or praying more often.
While the majority of a Muslim’s day is spent fasting, that does not mean mealtimes during Ramadan lack importance. The “iftar,” or dinner held once the sun has set, they eat each night following this period of fasting is often a community affair celebrating Islamic faith, according to MIT.
The “suhur,” or pre-dawn meal, can be eaten at any time before the sun rises, with some Muslims either waking up early to make sure they have time to eat or not sleeping at all.
The day following the last day of Ramadan — which falls on Wednesday, April 10, this year — marks the celebration called Eid-al-Fitr, according to MIT. Muslims will come together to celebrate after a month of fasting with abundance and, of course, plenty of food.
