This past month, you may have gone to school and noticed that some of your classmates weren’t eating lunch. If you went up and asked them why, you may have gotten the response “I’m fasting.” Chances are, your classmate was celebrating the Islamic holiday of Ramadan, which occurs in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims around the world.

June 24th concludes the month of Ramadan this year. One of the main components of Ramadan, and the one that you are most likely to notice if you are not Muslim, is the practice of fasting from sunrise to sunset every day during the month. This fasting is said to bring one closer to their faith and allow for self reflection. Ramadan is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The other pillars are faith, prayer, charity, and a pilgrimage to Mecca, (Islam’s holiest city where the Prophet Mohammed was born) and are outlined in the Quran (the religious text of Islam).

Ramadan is also marked by increased prayer and refraining from other acts such as lying and violence. Overall, the month of Ramadan is a time for Muslims to reflect upon themselves and work towards becoming better people. To read more about this sacred holiday, refer to one of our earlier articles here.