Ramadan

Have you heard of Ramadan? Ramadan is a non celebratory holiday celebrated by Muslims. In 2023 Ramadan takes place from March 22nd to April 21st. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar and the month of fasting. During Ramadan you may not eat or drink from dawn to sunset. It is used to teach Muslims self restraint. If you miss fasting days for valid reasons like sickness, they can be made up after the month or substituted by good deeds like feeding the homeless. Children, pregnant women, the old, the weak, people on long journeys, and the mentally ill are all not required to fast. Ramadan is celebrated by over 1.9 million Muslims all over the world, but is most commonly celebrated in northern Africa, The Middle East, Southern Europe, and Southern Asia. After the sunset prayer, Muslims gather with their families and eat a meal called ifṭār. Ifṭār usually starts with dates or apricots and water or sweetened milk. At the end of Ramadan, Muslim families will get together for a meal called Eid al-Fitr, where children wear new clothes, gifts are exchanged, special pastries are made, the graves of dead loved ones are visited, and families gather for meals to pray in a mosque. From the survey of Horizon students, only about 20% have heard of Ramadan, and only about 15% know anything about it. In conclusion, it seems that not many people know what Ramadan is about or even what it is, so you should tell your friends about it.