Ramadan (/ˌræməˈdɑːn/, also US: /ˌrɑːm-, ˈræmədɑːn, ˈrɑːm-/,[6][7][8] UK: /ˈræmədæn/;[9] Arabic: رمضان, romanized: Ramaḍān [ramaˈdˤaːn];[note 1] Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,[10] observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection and community.[11] A commemoration of Muhammad's first revelation,[12] the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam[13] and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.[14][15]
Fasting from sunrise to sunset is fard (obligatory) for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, or menstruating.[16] The predawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar.[17][18] Although fatwas have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca,[19] it is common practice to follow the timetable of the closest country in which night can be distinguished from day.[20][21][22]
The spiritual rewards (thawab) of fasting are believed to be multiplied during Ramadan.[23] Accordingly, Muslims refrain not only from food and drink, but also tobacco products, sexual relations, and sinful behavior,[24][25] devoting themselves instead to salat (prayer), recitation of the Quran,[26][27] and the performance of charitable deeds[citation needed] as they strive for purity and heightened awareness of God (taqwa)
Observance rates
According to a 2012 Pew Research Centre study, there was widespread Ramadan observance, with a median of 93 percent across the thirty-nine countries and territories studied.[77] Regions with high percentages of fasting among Muslims include Southeast Asia, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and most of Sub-Saharan Africa.[77] Percentages are lower in Central Asia and Southeast Europe.[77]
Laws
In some Muslim countries, failing to observe the Ramadan fast is a crime.[78][79][80] The sale of alcohol is prohibited in Egypt.[81] In Kuwait, the penalty for eating, drinking or smoking during daytime is a fine of no more than one hundred Kuwaiti dinar or incarceration for no more than one month, or both.[82][83] In some United Arab Emirates jurisdictions, eating or drinking in public is considered a minor offence punishable by up to one hundred fifty hours of community service.[84] Courts in Saudi Arabia, described by The Economist as taking Ramadan "more seriously than anywhere else",[85] may impose harsher punishments, including flogging, imprisonment and, for non-Muslim foreigners who consume food or drink in public, deportation.[86][87] In Malaysia, breaking the fast prior to sundown may result in arrest by the religious police, while the sale of food, drink, or tobacco for immediate consumption can incur a fine of up to one thousand ringgit and six months' imprisonment, penalties that are doubled for repeat offenses.[88] Courts in Algeria have imposed fines and prison sentences for violations of Ramadan regulations.[89]
Some countries impose modified work schedules. In the UAE, employees may work no more than six hours per day and thirty-six hours per week. Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait have similar laws.[90]
Health
Ramadan fasting is safe for healthy people, but those with medical conditions should seek medical advice if they encounter health problems before or during fasting.[91] The fasting period is usually associated with modest weight loss, but weight can return afterwards.[92]
The education departments of Berlin and the United Kingdom have tried to discourage students from fasting during Ramadan, as they claim that not eating or drinking can lead to concentration problems and bad grades.[93][94]
A review of the literature by an Iranian group suggested fasting during Ramadan might produce renal injury in patients with moderate (GFR <60 ml/min) or severe kidney disease but was not injurious to renal transplant patients with good function or most stone-forming patients.[95]
Ramadan fasting can be potentially hazardous for pregnant women as it is associated with risks of inducing labour and causing gestational diabetes, although it does not appear to affect the child's weight. It is permissible to not fast if it threatens the woman's or the child's lives.[96][97][98][99][100]
Crime rates
The correlation of Ramadan with crime rates is mixed: some statistics show that crime rates drop during Ramadan, while others show that it increases. Decreases in crime rates have been reported by the police in some cities in Turkey (Istanbul[101] and Konya[102]) and the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.[103] A 2005 study found that there was a decrease in assault, robbery and alcohol-related crimes during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, but only the decrease in alcohol-related crimes was statistically significant.[104] Increases in crime rates during Ramadan have been reported in Turkey,[105] Jakarta,[106][107][108] parts of Algeria,[109] Yemen[110] and Egypt.[111]
Various mechanisms have been proposed for the effect of Ramadan on crime:
An Iranian cleric argues that fasting during Ramadan makes people less likely to commit crimes due to spiritual reasons.[112] Gamal al-Banna argues that fasting can stress people out, which can make them more likely to commit crimes. He criticized Muslims who commit crimes while fasting during Ramadan as "fake and superficial".[111]
Police in Saudi Arabia attributed a drop in crime rates to the "spiritual mood prevalent in the country".[103]
In Jakarta, Indonesia, police say that the traffic due to 7 million people leaving the city to celebrate Eid al-Fitr results in an increase in street crime. As a result, police deploy an additional 7,500 personnel.[108]
During Ramadan, millions of pilgrims enter Saudi Arabia to visit Mecca. According to the Yemen Times, such pilgrims are usually charitable, and consequently smugglers traffic children in from Yemen to beg on the streets of Saudi Arabia.[110]
Ramadan in polar regions
The length of the dawn to sunset time varies in different parts of the world according to summer or winter solstices of the Sun. Most Muslims fast for eleven to sixteen hours during Ramadan. However, in polar regions, the period between dawn and sunset may exceed twenty-two hours in summer. For example, in 2014, Muslims in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Trondheim, Norway, fasted almost twenty-two hours, while Muslims in Sydney, Australia, fasted for only about eleven hours. In areas characterized by continuous night or day, some Muslims follow the fasting schedule observed in the nearest city that experiences sunrise and sunset, while others follow Mecca time.[20][21][22]
Ramadan in Earth orbit
Muslim astronauts in space schedule religious practices around the timezone of their last location on Earth. For example, this means an astronaut from Malaysia launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida would center their fast according to sunrise and sunset in Eastern Standard Time. This includes times for daily prayers, as well as sunset and sunrise for Ramadan.[113][114]
Employment during Ramadan
Muslims continue to work during Ramadan;[115][116] however, in some Islamic countries, such as Oman and Lebanon, working hours are shortened.[117][118] It is often recommended that working Muslims inform their employers if they are fasting, given the potential for the observance to impact performance at work.[119] The extent to which Ramadan observers are protected by religious accommodation varies by country. Policies putting them at a disadvantage compared to other employees have been met with discrimination claims in the United Kingdom and the United States
