Editing Ramadan (section)

== Important dates ==
The [[Islamic calendar]] is a [[lunar calendar|lunar one]], where each month begins when the first [[crescent]] of a [[new moon]] is sighted. The Islamic year consists of 12 lunar cycles, and consequently it is 10 to 11 days shorter than the [[Tropical year|solar year]], and as it contains no [[Intercalation (timekeeping)|intercalation]],{{efn|A tropical year is almost the same length as a year in the Western [[Gregorian Calendar]], the difference is imperceptible in a human lifespan.}} Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons. The Islamic day starts after sunset. The estimated start and end dates for Ramadan, based on the [[Umm al-Qura calendar]] of Saudi Arabia, are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia |url=https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/islam/ummalqura.htm |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=webspace.science.uu.nl}}</ref>

{|class=wikitable style="text-align: right"
|+Ramadan dates between 2022 and 2026 <!-- This table is deliberately limited to five years: last, this, next three. Any more would be unhelpful. There are many external sources that give comprehensive lists. -->
|-
!scope="col"|[[Anno Hegirae|AH]]
!scope="col"|First day ([[Common Era|CE]]/[[Anno Domini|AD]])
!scope="col"|Last day ([[Common Era|CE]]/[[Anno Domini|AD]])
|-
!scope="row"|1443
|2 April 2022
|1 May 2022
|-
!scope="row"|1444
|23 March 2023
|20 April 2023
|-
!scope="row"|1445
|11 March 2024
|{{0}}9 April 2024
|-
!scope="row"|1446
|{{0}}1 March 2025<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-28 |title=Saudi Arabia confirms Ramadan to begin on March 1 after moon sighting |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2025/02/28/saudi-arabia-confirms-ramadan-to-begin-on-march-1-after-moon-sighting |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Al Arabiya English |language=en}}</ref>
|29 March 2025
|-
!scope="row"|1447
|18 February 2026
|19 March 2026
|}

[[File:An Iranian iftar meal (2).jpg|thumb|An iftar meal]]
Many Muslims insist on the local physical sighting of the moon to mark the beginning of Ramadan, but others use the calculated time of the new moon or the [[Saudi Arabia]]n declaration to determine the start of the month. Since the new moon is not in the same state at the same time globally, the beginning and ending dates of Ramadan depend on what lunar sightings are received in each respective location. As a result, Ramadan dates vary in different countries, but usually only by a day. This is due to the [[Lunar month|cycles of the moon]]; the moon may not meet the criteria to qualify as a waxing crescent, which delineates the change in months, at the time of sundown in one location while later meeting it in another location.<ref>{{cite web
 | url = http://www.ramadan.com.au/faq
 | title = What is the Islamic calendar?
 | work = FAQ - For Muslims
 | publisher = Ramadan Awareness Campaign
 | access-date = 2008-09-01
 | archive-date = 2012-09-09
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120909110833/http://www.ramadan.com.au/faq
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref> Astronomical projections that approximate the start of Ramadan are available.<ref>{{cite web
 | url = http://moonsighting.com/ramadan.html
 | title = Ramadan and Eidian
 | access-date = 7 August 2012
 | publisher = Committee For Crescent Observation
 | archive-date = 4 August 2012
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120804124006/http://moonsighting.com/ramadan.html
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref>

In [[Shia Islam]], one of the special dates of this month is the day of the [[Assassination of  Ali|assassination of Ali]], the fourth [[Rashidun caliph]] and the first [[Imamate in Shia doctrine|Shia Imam]]. [[Ali]] was struck during morning prayer on the 19th day of Ramadan, 40 [[Islamic calendar|AH]], and he died on the 21st day of the month. They engage in mourning and prayer on these nights, especially in [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.irna.ir/news/82566641/%D9%82%D9%85-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B3%D9%88%DA%AF-%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B3%D8%AA |title = قم در سالروز شهادت امام علی(ع) به سوگ نشست |trans-title = Qom mourns on anniversary of Imam Ali's (AS) martyrdom|lang= fa|access-date = 27 February 2025}}
</ref>

=== Beginning ===
[[File:Ramadan100years1938-2037.png|thumb|Ramadan beginning dates between Gregorian years 1938 and 2038. ]]
Because the ''[[hilal (crescent moon)|hilāl]]'', or [[Lunar phase|crescent moon]], typically occurs approximately one day after the [[new moon]], Muslims can usually estimate the beginning of Ramadan;<ref>[http://www.hilalsighting.org/papers/salman.pdf Hilal Sighting & Islamic Dates: Issues and Solution Insha'Allaah] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206015307/http://www.hilalsighting.org/papers/salman.pdf |date=6 February 2009 }}. Hilal Sighting Committee of North America ([http://www.hilalsighting.org/ website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831043652/http://www.hilalsighting.org/ |date=31 August 2009 }}). Retrieved 19 August 2009.</ref> however, many Muslims prefer to confirm the opening of Ramadan by direct visual observation of the crescent.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/64-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2031.%20Fasting/2466-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-031-hadith-number-124.html |title= Sahih Bukhari&nbsp;– Book 031 (The Book of Fasting), Hadith 124 |first= AbdAllah-Muhammad |last= Bukhari-Ibn-Ismail |work= hadithcollection.com |date= 28 January 2009 |access-date= 25 July 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120613040509/http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/64-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2031.%20Fasting/2466-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-031-hadith-number-124.html |archive-date= 13 June 2012  }}</ref>

=== ''Laylat al-Qadr'' ===
{{Main|Night of Power}}

The ''Laylat al-Qadr'' ({{langx|ar|لیلة القدر}}) or "Night of Power" is the night that Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down to the world, and Muhammad received his first quranic revelation from it.  The night is considered to be the holiest night of the year.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Robinson | first = Neal | title = Islam: A Concise Introduction | publisher = Georgetown University Press | year = 1999 | location = Washington | isbn = 978-0-87840-224-3 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/islam00neal }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/64-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2031.%20Fasting/2465-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-031-hadith-number-125.html |title= Sahih Bukhari&nbsp;– Book 031 (The Book of Fasting), Hadith 125 |first= AbdAllah-Muhammad |last= Ibn-Ismail-Bukhari |work= hadithcollection.com |access-date= 28 July 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130115170845/http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/64-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2031.%20Fasting/2465-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-031-hadith-number-125.html |archive-date= 15 January 2013  }}</ref> It is generally believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last ten days of Ramadan; the [[Dawoodi Bohra]] believe that ''Laylat al-Qadr'' was the twenty-third night of Ramadan.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/65-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2032.%20Praying%20at%20Night%20In%20Ramadhan%20(Taraweeh)/2479-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-032-hadith-number-238.html |title= Sahih Bukhari&nbsp;– Book 032 (Praying at Night during Ramadhan), Hadith 238 |first= AbdAllah-Muhammad |last= Ibn-Ismail-Bukhari |work= hadithcollection.com |access-date= 28 July 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130115170922/http://hadithcollection.com/sahihbukhari/65-Sahih%20Bukhari%20Book%2032.%20Praying%20at%20Night%20In%20Ramadhan%20(Taraweeh)/2479-sahih-bukhari-volume-003-book-032-hadith-number-238.html |archive-date= 15 January 2013  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://hadithcollection.com/sahihmuslim/134-Sahih%20Muslim%20Book%2006.%20Fasting/10668-sahih-muslim-book-006-hadith-number-2632.html |title= Sahih Muslim&nbsp;– Book 006 (The Book of Fasting), Hadith 2632 |first= Abul-Hussain |last= Muslim-Ibn-Habaj |work= hadithcollection.com |access-date= 28 July 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130115170848/http://hadithcollection.com/sahihmuslim/134-Sahih%20Muslim%20Book%2006.%20Fasting/10668-sahih-muslim-book-006-hadith-number-2632.html |archive-date= 15 January 2013  }}</ref>

=== ''Eid'' ===
{{Main|Eid al-Fitr|Eid prayers}}
The holiday of ''Eid al-Fitr'' (Arabic: عيد الفطر), which marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of ''[[Shawwal]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eid al-Fitr in the United States|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/eid-al-fitr|access-date=2021-05-09|website=www.timeanddate.com|language=en}}</ref> the next lunar month, is declared after a crescent [[new moon]] has been sighted or after completion of thirty days of fasting if no sighting of the moon is possible. ''Eid'' celebrates the return to a more natural disposition (''fitra'') of eating, drinking, and [[intimacy|marital intimacy]].<ref name=EsinIslam>{{cite web |url= http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201009/WritersArticles_AdilSalahi_0911.htm |title= Ruling on Voluntary Fasting After The Month of Ramadan: Eid Day(s) And Ash-Shawaal |work= EsinIslam, Arab News & Information&nbsp;– By Adil Salahi |date= 11 September 2010 |access-date= 23 May 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160527052712/http://www.esinislam.com/Articles201009/WritersArticles_AdilSalahi_0911.htm |archive-date= 27 May 2016  }}</ref>