The holy month of Ramadan will soon begin all around the world and will see Muslims engage in fasting, prayer, charity and self-evaluation and improvement. Ramadan is an annual holiday but doesn't always begin on the same day of the year like other religious holidays. Instead, Ramadan follows the cycle of the moon to determine when fasting should begin.
While many Muslims around the world tend to observe Ramadan on the same day, some variations may occur depending on local practices or traditions.
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But it is generally accepted that Ramadan will begin at the start of the crescent moon on April 2 this year and will last until the next crescent moon on May 1 -the end of Ramadan is celebrated with a large feast and is known as Eid-ul-Fitr. The month is the most important holiday in Islam and is considered a time when Muslims focus on self-improvement, charity and fasting.
In fact, observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is essential to the Muslim identity. Ramadan is so important in Islam because it is considered the month when the first revelations of the Quran, Islam's holy text and believed to be the word of God, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Furthermore, it is generally believed that all other holy scriptures in Islam were recalled during the month of Ramadan including the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel.
While not compulsory, Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Quran over the thirty days of Ramadan - since the Quran is separated into 30 parts (known as Juz), one part can be read on each consecutive day.
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