This March, many MSU students and employees will begin the month-long fast of Ramadan. As we work toward promoting a more inclusive Spartan community, here are some facts to consider:

• Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is widely considered
  the month in which the Qur’an (Koran), the Islamic holy book, was first revealed.
  This year, Ramadan will begin at sunset on March 10th, give or take a day
  (depending on when the new moon is sighted), and will last 29 or 30 days. As the
  Islamic year is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, Ramadan in
  2025 will begin in late February or early March.
• Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of Islam. The Qur’an
  (2:183) states that fasting was prescribed so that believers may attain God
  consciousness. Accordingly, Ramadan is widely regarded as a month of spiritual
  growth.
• Practicing Muslims who are able to are expected to abstain from eating, drinking
  (including water), and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month.
  Many Muslims will also perform various prayers and acts of devotion, especially at
  night, sometimes past midnight. And as many adherents also wake up early for
  predawn meals, they may experience not just hunger and thirst but also fatigue.
• Those who are ill, traveling, or unable to fast for other reasons are exempt from the
  Ramadan fast. Those who are able to do so are expected to make up the missed days
  at a later time.
• The end of Ramadan is marked by the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr (“the festival of the
  breaking of the fast”). This year, Eid al-Fitr will begin at sunset on April 9th and will
  include a prayer on the morning of April 10th, give or take a day. Eid al-Fitr is one of
  the two major Islamic holidays, the other being Eid al-Adha (“the festival of
  sacrifice”), which overlaps with the annual Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). This year, Eid
  al-Adha will begin at sunset on June 15th and will include a prayer on the morning of
  June 16th, give or take a day.
• For more information on Ramadan, see: Why Ramadan is Called Ramadan
• Questions? Please feel free to contact Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Director of the
  Muslim Studies Program and Professor of Religious Studies at Michigan State
  University (khalilmo@msu.edu)