Ramadan ushers in a month of fasting, worship and charity for Muslims

Muslims worldwide will begin daily fasting from dawn to sunset as Ramadan begins

Muslims worldwide will begin daily fasting from dawn to sunset as Ramadan starts, marking a period of worship, reflection and charity.

The holy month, the ninth in the Islamic lunar calendar, brings families together for meals to break the fast.

This year, Ramadan is expected to begin around February 18 or 19, as it depends on the sighting of the crescent moon.

The actual start date may vary among countries and Muslim communities due to declarations by multiple Islamic authorities around the globe on whether the crescent had been sighted or different methodologies used to determine the beginning of the month.

Muslim worshippers perform the evening Tarawih prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

This year, the start of Ramadan is expected around the same time as Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the most penitential season of the church calendar for Catholics and many other Christians.

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving and pilgrimage.

Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Muslim worshippers perform evening Tarawih prayer on the first night of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Great Omari Mosque, which was damaged during the Israel–Hamas war, in Gaza City (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Muslims see various meanings and lessons in observing the fast.

It’s regarded as an act of worship to attain piety and one of submission to God.

The devout see benefits, including practicing self-restraint, cultivating gratitude and empathizing with people who are poor and hungry.

People gather to sight the Ramadan crescent moon marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan at the foothills of Mount Qasioun near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Damascus (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink — not even a sip of water is allowed — from dawn to sunset, before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic.

Muslims typically stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Quran, the Muslim holy book.

Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide iftar for those in need, distributing Ramadan boxes filled with pantry staples, handing out warm meals alongside such things as dates and juice or helping hold free communal meals.

Workers clean carpet at the historic Mahabat Khan mosque in preparation for the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Muslims eat a predawn meal, called “suhoor,” to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.

There are certain exemptions, such as for those who are unable to because of illness or travel.

Those unable to fast due to being temporarily ill or traveling need to make up for the missed days of fasting later.