It begins on May 12 this year and can be celebrated for up to three days. Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, a festival that marks the breaking of the fasting period. 'Aside from fasting, Muslims observing Ramadan also increase in spiritual devotional acts such as prayer, giving charity and strengthening family ties,' the council adds. 'At an individual level, fasting encourages us to feel an affinity with the poor across the world who have little or no food to eat.'įamilies and local communities are also encouraged to share meals with friends and neighbors and reach out to those who may be fasting alone during Ramadan. The Muslim Council of Britain says: 'A key objective of fasting increase in taqwa (closeness to/consciousness of God), and to engender a sense of gratitude, self-discipline and self-improvement, at both an individual and community level, which Muslims are encouraged to continue throughout the year. Ramadan represents a period of practicing self-restraint to keep in line with ṣawm (meaning 'to refrain' in Arabic), which is one of the pillars of Islam. Muslim Aid, a U.K.-based NGO, advises: 'Fasting is a key part of Ramadan and all those of able body and sound mind should fast during this Holy time.' Why does fasting take place?

Young children, pregnant women, the old, the sick and travelers are examples of those who are exempt from fasting.' The Muslim Council of Britain, the U.K.'s biggest Islamic organization, explains: 'Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours, meaning they abstain from eating, drinking or engaging in sexual relations for the duration of their fast. Past studies looked at how this type of fasting affected randomly chosen participants. According to Shariah, sunset is marked when the sun's disk goes beyond the horizon and disappears. A true fast (also called a water fast) includes. for example, if you’re doing an 18-hour fast, maybe you stop eating at 8 PM today and don’t break your fast until 2 PM tomorrow. Pick a window of time fast and stick to it. Taking iftar: One must take their after-fast meal (iftar) soon after sunset. As you read, the stages of intermittent fasting each come with different benefits. Russia will see the longest fast in Asia. In China, the fast will last for 17 hours and 28 minutes. It is best to take sahur during the last 30 minutes before dawn or the Fajr prayer. Indian and Pakistani Muslims will fast for 17 hours and 11 minutes and 16.5 hours respectively. How Will Muslims be Celebrating Eid Under Lockdown? Baylor College of Medicine doctors studying the effects of dawn-to-sunset fasting have found more evidence that when you eat could play a role in supporting cancer-fighting tumor suppressor proteins, specifically in those suffering from metabolic syndrome. The meal is Sunnah, and taking sahur is considered a blessing.Berlin Church Opens Doors to Muslims for Ramadan.Ramadan Mass Gatherings Face Restrictions as COVID Surges in Turkey.

Nigerian fasting until sunset