Every year, Muslims fast for about a month.
In March, the month of fasting begins again.
When is Lent exactly in 2023 - and what is Ramadan anyway?
Munich – Ramadan is always in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and lasts between 29 and 30 days.
In 2023, the month of fasting will take place from around March 23rd to April 21st.
The Ramadan festival then lasts three days and begins on April 21st.
Depending on the location, the times for the month of fasting may vary slightly.
But what is actually behind the fasting tradition?
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Iraqi devotees perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer, which marks the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
© Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa
Ramadan 2023 in Germany: time, food - and the most important dates and information about the month of fasting
Ramadan symbolizes one of the five pillars of Islam and is therefore one of the central elements of the religion.
Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
You refrain from eating, drinking and other stimulants.
The fast can only be broken after the sun has set.
For the first meal and drink after dark, the whole family meets to break the fast together.
A variety of dishes and drinks are served and eaten together.
Dates, with water or milk, are the first food to be eaten.
During Lent, believers should study the Koran and prayer as much as possible.
Worldly things like quarreling and swearing are not allowed.
This is also what the Koran says: "It is of no importance to God that someone who does not refrain from lying and cheating abstains from eating and drinking." set day.
Donations and good deeds are a central element of Ramadan.
A purification of the soul should be achieved and an awareness of the weak and poor should be created.
Summer or winter, why is the fasting month of Ramadan being postponed?
The month of fasting does not have a fixed time in the year, it shifts every year and is sometimes even in different seasons.
This is due to the alignment of the Islamic calendar with the moon.
Unlike the usual calendar in Germany, which is based on the sun.
The Islamic calendar is ten to eleven days shorter and not adapted to the seasons.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and begins at dawn after the appearance of the new moon.
All over the world people fast on Ramadan.
Especially in Muslim countries there is a state of emergency at the time.
Travelers in these countries have a few things to consider.
Ramadan in Munich: When are Muslims allowed to break the fast here?
Fasting is from dawn to sunset.
At the beginning of the month of fasting, this is roughly from 4:20 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
However, the whole thing is shifted by an hour due to the time change.
In addition, the period of fasting increases towards the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan: Children and pregnant women do not have to fast
Children who have not yet reached sexual maturity are exempt from fasting.
Girls are usually sexually mature between 11 and 15 years, boys between 13 and 16 years.
Pregnant women, nursing mothers and those who are ill or otherwise physically unable to fast do not have to fast either.
During menstruation, women are allowed to break their fast, but often make up for the missed fasting days afterwards.
People who do very hard and physical labor are also exempt from fasting.
Fasting month: One of the most important festivals in Islam is celebrated after Ramadan
On the last day of Ramadan, in 2023 on April 21st, Muslims come together to pray.
A big feast is served and the children are given gifts and money.
It is the first day after Ramadan, also known as the Sugar Festival, which is followed by one or two more festival days depending on the region.
List of rubrics: © Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa
