Ramadan 2019 date: When is Ramadan? When does Ramadan begin?

The month of Ramadan commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to Mohammed and is celebrated every year on a different date. Fasting during the month is compulsory for adult practising Muslims, aside from those with exemptions for illness or age. The practice is meant to “cleanse” the soul, and also compels people to abstain from “sinful” behaviours such as fighting and sexual activity. Muslims will fast from sunrise to sunset, with one pre-dawn meal and one post-sunset meal to sustain them.

When is Ramadan 2019?

The Islamic New Year started back in September 2018, and the calendar is now coming to an end once more.

This year, Ramadan will fall on Monday, May 6, according to predictions from the Saudi Arabian Umm al-Qura calendar.

Ramadan is expected to end on Monday, June 3, and feast day Eid Al-Fitr will take place the day after on June 4.

Last year, the festival fell on Wednesday, May 16 and lasted until Thursday, June 4.

Dates are chosen each year by the Saudi Arabian government, which uses astronomical charts to predict the rise of the first crescent Moon marking the new month.

Ramadan officially begins with this sighting, and the Islamic calendar as a whole navigates dates with the Lunar cycle.

The Western World uses the Gregorian calendar, which governs dates with the rise and fall of the Sun.

This means the dates on both calendars don’t quite align, and Ramadan is pushed back by 11 days each year.

By 2020, Ramadan will likely fall in April, and by 2023 it will fall in March.

In 2026 Ramadan will be pushed back to February, making daylight hours and the fasting period much shorter.

The UAE has published all dates for its major religious occasions this year.

These are the Islamic key religious dates for 2019:

– Monday, May 6: Start of Ramadan

– Wednesday, June 5: Eid Al-Fitr

– Friday, August 9-Monday August 12: Arafat Day and Eid Al-Adha

– Sunday, September 1: Hijri (Islamic New Year)

source: express.co.uk