The Holy Month of Ramadan: beginning and end in 2025, what should not be done

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, is celebrated by Muslims around the world. According to tradition, during this period believers are forbidden to drink and eat during daylight hours. The last day of the holy month is marked by one of the two main Muslim celebrations - the Uraza Bayram festival. Read more about how Ramadan takes place, what you can and can not do during the fasting - in the material "Izvestia".

The holy month of Ramadan: traditions and spiritual significance in 2025

Ramadan is a holy time for those who profess Islam. Religious Muslims around the world practice the principles of abstinence and celebrate age-old traditions during the month every year. Ramadan as a holiday is first mentioned in the Quran. Muslims believe that the first verses of the main book were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the month of Ramadan, when the prophet was in spiritual solitude in a cave near Mecca.

Zakir Sharypov, deputy mufti of the Stavropol region, said that the root of the word "Ramadan" from Arabic translates as "heat", and fasting in these days is associated with difficulties in the form of thirst and hunger. According to one version of historians, it was very hot in the first years when Muslims kept the fast. Another interpretation relates the name to the fever felt due to hunger, when the whole body literally shrinks inside. The Arabs refer to this condition as the "fever of hunger."

The rules of strict fasting begin to take effect during the dark hours of the day. Breakfast (suhur) should be taken before the first signs of dawn, when the morning dawn is not yet visible. Dinner (iftar) should be served after the evening prayer, when the sun has hidden behind the horizon. Special dishes are prepared for both meals, which are full of nutrients.

For the end of Ramadan believers prepare in advance: a major cleaning of the house is carried out, special dishes are prepared. One of the obligatory rituals is giving alms to people in need. It is possible to donate both money and foodstuffs.

For a religious Muslim, the Feast of Feasting (in Arabic, "Eid al-Fitr" and in Turkic, "Uraza Bayram") is much more awaited than his own birthday. The celebration announces that a person has overcome the most difficult challenges in the name of Allah. Uraza Bayram is the second most important Muslim celebration after Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, which coincides with the last day of the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Ramadan: what date begins and ends in 2025

The Muslim calendar depends on the phases of the moon, so every year the dates of the beginning and end of Ramadan change. In some Muslim countries the first day of Ramadan is determined by astronomical calculations, and in others - by direct observation of the moon. Islam allows both possibilities, therefore the date of the beginning of the religious holiday in different countries may differ.

According to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims and the Council of Muftis of Russia, the holy month for Muslims began with sunset on February 28, and the first day of fasting will be March 1. At sundown on the night of March 30, believers celebrate the feast of revelry - Uraza Bayram.

Some Middle Eastern countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia, shorten the working day during Ramadan. It is also customary to decorate houses, streets, squares and public spaces to mark the beginning of the holy month.

The Holy Month of Ramadan in 2025: when it begins and ends, namaz schedule

Ramadan: how to keep the fast, what men should not do

The Muslim fast is considered the strictest in the world religions. The Arabic word "saum", or fasting, translates as "total abstinence". It is prescribed to strengthen faith and self-discipline in fulfilling the precepts of Allah. Deliberately breaking the fast is considered a sin. According to Muslim theologians, during the holy month, the Almighty rewards the believer for every good he does.

The month of Ramadan belongs to the five pillars of Islam along with almsgiving in favor of the needy (zakat), with five times daily prayer (namaz) and pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). According to tradition, which dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, believers should finish their morning meal about half an hour before dawn and begin the evening meal immediately after sunset. The evening meal during Ramadan is a real feast, and the best dishes are put on the table. However, doctors advise to avoid fatty and fried food.

The fast should be observed by adults, capable and physically healthy people. Zakir Sharypov warns that it is forbidden for women to fast during menstruation. They are also exempted from this duty in case of nursing infants under two years of age. Travelers who have gone more than 80 kilometers away from their home may not fast.

Those who miss Ramadan for a valid reason can make up the missed days later. If a Muslim does not keep the fast for medical reasons, he must make atonement every day of the month, an average of 2 kilograms of cereals or products common in a particular area, the expert recalls.

In addition, the deliberate taking of food, drinks, medicines during daylight hours, as well as smoking and marital intimacy, is considered a violation of fasting. Each of the impermissible actions during daylight hours requires reimbursement, for example, in the form of helping a person in need. It is permissible to take medicine through injections, bathe, kiss, brush one's teeth, swallow saliva, or donate blood. It is not considered a violation of the fast to accidentally put food or water in the mouth.

It is important to remember that in Ramadan it is considered a particularly grave sin to violate the basic rules of religion. Islam does not accept the consumption of alcohol and pork regardless of the time of day.