The fourth pillar of Islam: Sawm

The Fourth Pillar of Islam is Sawm, or fasting. Fasting takes place during the month of Ramadan, which is a holy month in the Islamic calendar (lunar calendar).

The month of Ramadan contains the most blessed of nights, also known as Laylatul Qadr, about which Allah (SWT) asks us:

“What will make you realise what the Night of Power is like?

The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.

Angels and the Spirit descend upon it with their Lord´s permission with every command;

There is peace that night until the coming of dawn.” [Quran: 97:1-5]

When does Ramadan start?

As the Islamic calendar is based around the lunar cycle, the Holy month of Ramadan rotates by approximately ten days each year. Ramadan officially begins when the month of Shaban, the eighth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, ends. This year, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on Wednesday 22nd March 2023. The exact timing is based on the sighting of the moon.

When does Ramadan end?

Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim celebration officially marks the end of Ramadan. The exact timing is based on the sighting of the moon. Eid al-Fitr officially begins at the start of the Islamic month of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. This year, Ramadan is expected to end on Saturday, 22nd April 2023, depending on the sighting of the moon.