Daily Prayers with Decomposing Corpses: Death Chairs at Aragonese Castle
The Aragonese Castle is a castle built on top of a rocky islet next to Ischia, a small Italian island on the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. Whilst a stronghold is said to have already been built during Classical times, much of the present structure dates to the Middle Ages. The Aragonese Castle…
Christians Supplied Medieval Pagans with Horses for Sacrifice for Funeral Rituals
In the late medieval period, pagans in the Baltic region of northern Europe imported horses from neighboring Christian nations for use in funeral rituals, according to a study. Horse sacrifices were highly visible and symbolic public rites across pagan prehistoric Europe, persisting the latest among the Baltic tribes, up to the 14th century AD. Offering pits might…
Most visited pilgrims sites in the world
Pilgrimage has been a significant part of human civilization, binding cultures, religions, and races across continents. It's a spiritual voyage that millions undertake each year, seeking solace, answers, or simply an intimate encounter with their faith. What are the  pilgrimage destinations you must visit, and why are these places so revered? River Ganges Photo…
Categories: IslamNews

Ramadan 2023: what is Ramadan?

This year, the first day of fasting in Mecca will be on Thursday, March 23, Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan will begin on Thursday. The pre-sunrise to sunset fast lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 hours, depending on where you are in the world.

Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the holy book Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.

Traditions of Ramadan

Beginning at puberty, all Muslims (with certain exceptions, such as if one is ill, traveling, pregnant, elderly, etc.) take part in the month-long, dawn-to-sunset fast that is the hallmark of Ramadan. Muslims believe that fasting cleanses the body, and the practice reminds them of the suffering of the poor.

Eating and drinking (including water) is prohibited from dawn to sunset, and the day’s abstinence is offset by a pre-dawn meal called sehri and a nightly meal known as iftar. For iftar, many traditionally break the fast by first eating dates, as the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have done to break his fast. Foods traditionally served at iftar vary, but food is often shared with a poor family during Ramadan.

lier each year. This is because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar Hijri calendar with months that are 29 or 30 days long.

This year, the first day of fasting in Mecca will be on Thursday, March 23, Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday.

The exact beginning and ending times of the month of Ramadan are based on the sighting of the first crescent Moon on the last night of the eighth month (Sha’ban). Specifically, Ramadan is said to begin at the first observance of the crescent Moon over Mecca, Saudi Arabia (or on a date pre-determined by astronomical calculation). Because of this, start and end dates are not set in stone and may vary by a day.

The dates listed below are based on expected visibility, so may differ slightly from those seen elsewhere.

Religious Tourism

Recent Posts

Daily Prayers with Decomposing Corpses: Death Chairs at Aragonese Castle

The Aragonese Castle is a castle built on top of a rocky islet next to…

5 months ago

Christians Supplied Medieval Pagans with Horses for Sacrifice for Funeral Rituals

In the late medieval period, pagans in the Baltic region of northern Europe imported horses from neighboring…

6 months ago

Most visited pilgrims sites in the world

Pilgrimage has been a significant part of human civilization, binding cultures, religions, and races across…

6 months ago

Паломницкий маршрут “Шлях Сантьяго”: поради початківцям

«Щасливий ти, здійснюючи паломництво, якщо, завершуючи дорогу, ти відкриваєш, що справжній Шлях тільки починається». Колись…

6 months ago

14th Century Church Discovered under a Tennis Court in Hungary

During an archaeological excavation in  Visegrád, a fortified medieval castle on a hill overlooking the Danube…

6 months ago

The Worst Popes and Their Dirty Secrets

Throughout history, the papacy has been a beacon of spirituality and moral guidance for billions…

6 months ago