🏮 Ramadan and the Islamic year · Step 1 of 10
Why do Muslims fast?
Fasting in Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Allah tells us why in the Qur'an.
A special month
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year. It is the month in which the Qur'an was first sent down. Every adult Muslim who is healthy and at home fasts in it: from true dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib) we do not eat, drink or do anything else that breaks the fast.
Children are not required to fast until they reach puberty, but many practise with half days or a few days, so that fasting is easy for them later.
What Allah says
Allah tells the believers that fasting is written for them, as it was for people before them, so that they may become mindful of Allah (taqwa).
What fasting teaches us
- Taqwa: remembering Allah even when nobody else can see us.
- Thankfulness: we feel how precious food and water are.
- Caring for others: we remember people who are hungry every day.
- Self-control: we learn to say no to what we want, for Allah.
“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and hoping for reward, his past sins will be forgiven.”
Fasting is worship. We fast because Allah asked us to, and we hope for His reward.
✅ Check yourself
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Which month of the Islamic year is Ramadan?
- The first
- The ninth
- The twelfth
Show the answer
The ninth month.
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From when until when do we fast?
Show the answer
From true dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib).