Ramadan

Here at Bolton Tuition Centre, we pride ourselves on being a multi-cultural and inclusive space for students of difference cultures to come together and learn.

We often update our display boards in the reception area to highlight different festivals/religions and, as Ramadan will take place throughout March 2025, we have chosen this as our focus for the month.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is a commemoration of Muhammad’s first revelation, and the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam, lasting between twenty-nine and thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.

Fasting from dawn to sunset is obligatory for most adult Muslims. The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar.  The spiritual rewards (thawab) of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan. Accordingly, during the hours of fasting, Muslims devote themselves to prayer and the study of the Quran.

The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar.

Muslims believe that all scripture was revealed during Ramadan, which is why it is so important to their religion. The first and last dates of Ramadan are determined by the lunar Islamic calendar. The beginning of Ramadan can vary by one or two days, due to the differences between the Islamic and Gregorian calendars.

Because the hilāl, or crescent moon, typically occurs approximately one day after the new moon, Muslims can usually estimate the beginning of Ramadan; however, many prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent moon.

Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline, motivated by hadith: “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains.”

In 2025, Ramadan starts on the evening of Friday, February 28th and lasts for 30 days, ending at sundown on Saturday, March 29.