Ramadan & Fasting
Ramadan is the most beloved month of the Islamic year — a time of fasting, prayer, and renewed closeness to God. This guide explains what the month means, how the fast works, and the spirit that gives it life.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and the month in which the revelation of the Quran began. The Quran describes it as the month in which guidance for humanity was sent down (Quran 2:185). Because the Islamic calendar follows the moon, Ramadan shifts about ten days earlier each year, so Muslims experience it across every season over a lifetime.
Fasting in Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. From the first light of dawn until sunset, adult Muslims abstain from food, drink, and marital intimacy, turning the whole day into an act of worship and self-restraint.
The rules of the fast — and who must observe it
The fast is obligatory upon every Muslim who is adult, sane, and physically able. It begins with an intention and the pre-dawn cutoff, and it is broken at sunset. During the fasting hours a person avoids eating, drinking, and intimacy; the fast also calls for guarding the tongue and temper, since the goal is inner discipline, not mere hunger.
Valid exemptions
Islam does not intend hardship, so several groups are excused, some making up the days later and some giving a compensatory feeding (fidyah):
- The ill— those whose health would be harmed may postpone and make up the missed days once recovered.
- Travelers— those on a genuine journey may break the fast and make up the days afterward.
- Menstruating women — they do not fast during those days and make them up later.
- Pregnant and nursing women — if fasting would harm them or the child, they may postpone; rulings on making up days versus fidyah vary, so a knowledgeable teacher should be consulted.
- The chronically ill and the very elderly — those with no realistic hope of fasting may feed a needy person for each missed day (fidyah) instead.
Suhoor & Iftar
Two meals frame each day of Ramadan. Suhooris the pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encouraged it, teaching that there is blessing in the meal even if one eats only a little, and it strengthens the believer for the day ahead.
Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at sunset. It is a beloved sunnah to hasten breaking the fast as soon as the sun sets, traditionally with dates and water, followed by the sunset prayer. These moments of gratitude, often shared with family and community, are among the sweetest of the month.
The spiritual aim
The Quran states the true purpose plainly: fasting is prescribed so that you may attain taqwa — God-consciousness (Quran 2:183). By setting aside even lawful pleasures for God's sake, the believer trains the soul to choose restraint over impulse.
Ramadan is also a season of extra devotion. Many pray Taraweeh, the special nightly prayers, and dedicate time to reciting and reflecting on the Quran. Generosity multiplies too: charity, feeding others, and kindness are hallmarks of the month, following the Prophet's ﷺ example of being most giving during Ramadan.
Laylat al-Qadr
Among the last ten nights of Ramadan lies Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Decree. The Quran devotes an entire chapter to it (Quran 97), describing it as better than a thousand months — a night of immense worth on which the Quran began to be revealed and on which sincere worship is richly rewarded.
Its exact night is hidden, encouraging believers to seek it across the odd nights of the final ten. Many increase their prayer, supplication, and Quran during this stretch, and some observe I'tikaf — a spiritual retreat in the mosque — to devote themselves fully to worship.
Common questions
Does swallowing saliva break the fast?
No. Swallowing one's own natural saliva does not break the fast; it is unavoidable and not considered eating or drinking.
What about brushing teeth or using toothpaste?
Cleaning the teeth is fine, and using a miswak is a sunnah. With toothpaste, most scholars advise caution to avoid swallowing any of it; if none is swallowed intentionally, the fast remains valid.
If I eat or drink by mistake, is my fast void?
No. If someone forgets they are fasting and eats or drinks unintentionally, the fast still counts. As the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught, it was God who fed and gave them drink; they simply continue fasting once they remember.
Does unintentionally tasting or smelling food break it?
Smelling food does not break the fast. Tasting to check seasoning without swallowing is generally tolerated when needed, provided nothing is consumed.