Millions of Muslims around the world have begun fasting as the holy month of Ramadan has now begun. This special religious festival, which takes place on a different date each year, began with the sighting of the crescent moon over the weekend and is expected to run until May 3, 2022.
Ramadan begins when the new moon first appears in the night sky, with the full moon around a fortnight later marking the middle of Ramadan, and the moon waning to the other side marking the end of Ramadan, 29 or 30 days after it begun.
This year, Ramadan began in the UK on Sunday, April 3. Whilst it was initially expected to begin on Saturday, April 2, the moon couldn't be seen from the UK that evening, so - as is typical for the holy month - the beginning of the festivities was pushed back one day to April 3.
Religious leaders and scholars from around the UK met at the weekend to decide the start date, based on the moon sightings, and confirmed it would be Sunday, April 3 because it was not possible to see the moon on the Friday evening. This was the same start date as in Morocco, but different to some parts of Saudi Arabia, as the country saw the moon on Friday. For the latest LIVE updates on Ramadan, fasting times and prayers, follow our coverage here.
Chairman of Swansea Mosque, Farid Ali told WalesOnline : "Ramadan is a very special month for the Muslim community. It is one of the five pillars in Islam where Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk for 30 days. Muslims wake up in the early morning and eat some food just before sunrise, do their morning prayer then break their fast at sunset with prayers.
"As a community, we come together and break the fast with what is called Iftar. You can do that in the house or in the mosque which will provide food to the Muslim community to break fast. When it is time to break the fast, our muezzin, which is the call to prayer, he will make the alarm over a tannoy and our radio system into people's homes, and as soon as the alarm sounds, that is the signal that the fasting is over and that is the time for them to break the fast."
The Muslim Council of Britain reports that Ramadan is due to finish on either May 2 or 3 this year. It's expected to be the latter as Ramadan began one day later than initially anticipated. A statement from the Muslim Council of Britain states: "Ramadan is one of the holiest months of the Islamic calendar. This year, Ramadan will be from April 2/3 to May 2/3 2022 (depending on sighting of the moon). With Covid-19 restrictions now mostly removed across the UK, Ramadan 2022 will mark a return to the usual practices normally observed during Ramadan for British Muslims after a two year hiatus. Ramadan 2022 will see British Muslims going to the mosque for iftar (evening meal that breaks the fast) and taraweeh (special night prayer), and visiting friends and family."
Do all Muslims have to fast?
Not all Muslims have to fast, but millions around the world do. You are exempt from fasting, but are asked to donate to people in need in your community instead, if you're:
- unwell (or if fasting will affect your health)
- menstruating
- pregnant, breastfeeding or bleeding after childbirth
- travelling
- very young (many Muslims say young people aged 14+ should consider fasting, but the typical age someone begins fasting does vary)
- elderly
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