Ramadan 2025 begins at sunset on Friday, February 28, and will end at sunset on Saturday, March 29. For Muslims around the world, it is one of the most important celebrations of each year.
Many non-Muslims may know that the observance of Ramadan involves a daily fast from sunrise to sunset, but may not understand the significance of Ramadan or other ways the holiday is observed.
If you’ve ever wondered about what Ramadan is, here are 7 basic facts that will give you a better understanding of this holy month celebrated by more than one billion people worldwide:
1.Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. The month of Ramadan is a commemoration of the revelation of Islam’s holy text, the Quran, to the prophet Muhammad. This occurred during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the observance of Ramadan has become one of the most important pillars of belief for Muslims.
2. The start and end dates of Ramadan change each year. Similar to holidays in other religions like Easter or Rosh Hashanah, the start and end dates of Ramadan shift each year because its observance is based on a lunar calendar (the Islamic calendar is 354 days long). For example, Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin at sunset on February 17 and end at sunset on March 18.
3. Muslims are obliged to abstain from more than just food and drink. The month of Ramadan is a time for discipline, prayer, and thoughtfulness. Fasting is required, and intended to make people more aware of their relationship with God. Between the hours of sunrise and sunset, no food or drink is permitted. Additionally, Muslims are expected to abstain from sexual relations, smoking, and sinful behaviors like lying and gossiping.
4. Each day begins and ends with a meal. All Muslims are expected to continue on with their normal lives, whether working or going to school, while fasting during Ramadan. This means they must eat enough between sunset and sunrise to have enough energy for the day. An early wake-up call is followed by suhur, a small meal eaten before sunrise and before the first of the day’s daily prayers. Once the sun sets, it is time for iftar (“breaking the fast”), a larger feast traditionally eaten in a family or community setting.
5. Studying the Quran and praying are extra important. Throughout the year, Muslims pray five times every day. During the holiest month of the year, Muslims are expected to become even closer with God through extra prayers and the reading of the Quran. The tarawih are special prayers held each night during Ramadan in most mosques around the world, involving the reading of long portions of the Quran. Many Muslims seek to read the entire Quran, which comprises 30 sections, during the month of Ramadan.
6. The month of fasting ends with a big celebration. Eid al-Fitr (“Feast of breaking the fast”) is the celebration of the end of Ramadan, and occurs at sunset on the night when a crescent moon can first be seen. In America, Eid will begin on March 29, 2025, and conclude on March 30. This is one of the biggest annual celebrations of the Islamic world, typically involving prayers and sermons during the day, followed by large family and community gatherings after sunset. With the obligation to fast lifted, it is a time to eat, drink and be merry!
7. Charity is one of the most important aspects of Ramadan. In addition to fasting and prayer, donating to those in need is one of the core values of Ramadan. Zakat, the giving of a certain percentage of one’s income to the poor, is an obligation for all Muslims who have the ability to give. Many people choose to give during Ramadan, when generosity to the needy is thought to have an even more positive effect on one’s soul.
It can be very difficult to go through a full day without any food or drink, as any person observing the Ramadan fast can tell you. This is a time of year when many people can understand firsthand the struggle and pain of an empty stomach. And unfortunately, hunger can be found in every corner of our planet.
That’s why, each year during Ramadan, Embrace Relief is focused on providing food to those in need through our International Hunger Relief campaign. Through this campaign, we’ve reached hundreds of thousands of people in more than two dozen countries during just the last several Ramadans alone.
If you have the ability, there’s never a bad time to provide a charitable donation that will make a real impact in people’s lives. But this month of reflection, empathy and charity is an especially good time to do so!
Help feed people in need with Embrace Relief
During our 2024 International Hunger Relief: Ramadan campaign, thanks to the generosity of donors like you, Embrace Relief was able to distribute food to more than 68,000 people in 21 countries spanning 5 continents. In 2025, we want to make an even greater impact – but we need your help to do it!
When you give to Embrace Relief this Ramadan, every single dollar you donate will make a massive difference in the life of a vulnerable family. Just $35 can provide a family of five with enough food for a full week, so don’t delay! Donate today by clicking here or using the form below and help Embrace Relief share nutritious food with our friends around the globe.
68,000 People
Reached Worldwide
