Ramadan 2024: When Is It? What Is It?

The 2024 Ramadan season starts March 10 and ends April 9. This is an annual holiday for Islam that is known for daily fasting.

What Does Ramadan Celebrate?

Islam tradition believes that the Prophet Muhammad was given the Qur’an, Islam’s holy text, during Ramadan, according to Britannica. 

What Do Muslims Do During Ramadan?

Ramadan is a time of self reflection, prayer and studying the Qur’an, according to Britannica. 

Muslims practice restraint, one of the five pillars of Islam, during Ramadan. Fasting is the most well known practice of restraint during Ramadan, but it can be interpreted to include sexual activity, immoral behavior and impure or unkind thoughts, according to Britannica.

The restraint from these activities is practiced from sun up to sun down. During this time, Muslims may not eat or drink, including water. Muslims will generally eat breakfast before dawn and dinner after dusk. 

The early morning breakfast is called suhur, and is most commonly eaten at home. The evening meal is called iftar and is often a communal event. Iftar may take place at mosques or community centers, according to Britannica.

Because fasting is physically taxing, exemptions are often given for children, elderly, pregnant women and the ill, according to Britannica.

The end of the Ramadan fast is celebrated as one of the two major Muslim holidays, called Eid ul-Fitr, according to Britannica. Gifts, celebrations, special prayers and sermons are common for Eid ul-Fitr.

When Is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar. For 2024, it is from March 10 through April 9.

The lunar calendar is shorter than the Gregorian calendar. Because of this, Ramadan doesn’t fall at the same time every year, according to Britannica.