Ramadan 2025: The Holy Month of Fasting
Festival guide · 2025
Ramadan (رمضان) is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar and the holiest month in Islam. Muslims worldwide fast from before the Fajr prayer until sunset, abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and sexual relations. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
The fast commemorates the month in which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Ramadan shifts approximately 11 days earlier each Gregorian year, cycling through all seasons over roughly 33 years.
2025 Dates
| Date | Saturday, March 1, 2025 |
Dates are calculated automatically and may vary by ±1 day. Always confirm with your local religious authority.
Traditions & Observance
The Daily Fast (Sawm)
The fast begins at Suhoor — a pre-dawn meal eaten before the Fajr prayer. It ends at Iftar — the sunset meal, traditionally broken with dates and water following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. The fast is obligatory for every adult Muslim who is healthy and not travelling; exemptions apply for illness, pregnancy, and travel.
Tarawih — Night Prayers
Tarawih are special nightly prayers performed after the Isha prayer throughout Ramadan. In many mosques, the entire Quran is recited across 30 nights. Tarawih can be prayed in congregation at the mosque or individually at home. The nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan are especially intensified in prayer and worship.
Laylat al-Qadr
The Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) falls in one of the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan — most likely the 27th night. The Quran describes it as better than a thousand months. Muslims seek it by increasing prayer, Quran recitation, and I'tikaf (seclusion in the mosque) during the final 10 nights.
Zakat and Charity
Ramadan is the primary season for giving Zakat (obligatory annual charity) and Sadaqah (voluntary giving). The rewards of charity are multiplied in Ramadan. Before Eid al-Fitr, every Muslim must give Zakat al-Fitr — a specified amount of food or money — ensuring that everyone in the community can celebrate Eid.
Other Years
Ramadan begins with the sighting of the crescent moon and may vary by one day between countries. Always confirm the start date with your local mosque or national Islamic authority.