This is the year 1430 of the Islamic calendar, and this weekend marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan for followers of that faith.
According to the Fiqh Council of North America, Ramadan will officially begin on Saturday, Aug. 22, and last until Sunday, Sept. 20.
To cultures familiar with the Julian calendar, it may seem that the month of Ramadan doesn’t have a set time frame. For example, in 2008 Ramadan ran concurrently with the month of September, while in 2007 it ran from Oct. 12 to Sept. 12.
This is because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. Each of its 12 months runs from New Moon to New Moon. Ramadan is the ninth month in that calendar (and actually predates Islam, being the ninth month of the Arabic lunar calendar before then), and is the month that the Qur-an, Islam’s holy text, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Fasting is perhaps the most familiar component of Ramadan to western cultures. Between the hours of sunrise and sunset, observant Muslims will not eat, drink (water is allowable), engage in sexual activity, smoke, or partake in “ill-natured or excess” activities. Typically, they will rise before dawn to share a meal, and another after sunset. Exceptions to the fast are made for pregnant and nursing women, children, and others.
Another key element of Ramadan is prayer, with daily readings from the Qur’an. The end of the month is celebrated with the feast of Eid ul-Fitr.