Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.

The outset of the sacred month depends on the sighting of the crescent moon; the first day is expected to be on or around March 12, 2024.

Ramadan is believed to be the month when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

In the Islamic Hijri calendar, the emergence of the moon after its new moon phase defines the beginning of all the months in the Islamic calendar.

Muslims in Iran eat a pre-dawn meal, called “Sahari” to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.

The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink; not even a sip of water is allowed from dawn to sunset before breaking the fast in a meal known as “Iftar”, most often starting with a date.

Those fasting are expected to also refrain from bad deeds, such as gossiping, and increase good deeds.

For Muslims, it is a time of increased worship, charity, and good deeds. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast.

Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which many Muslims celebrate by dressing up in new clothes and making communal prayers.

During the month, Muslims practice self-restraint, cultivating gratitude, growing closer to God, and feeling for the poor and hungry.

Iranians stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Quran during Ramadan.

Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide Iftar for the needy.

A line-up of new television shows is another fixture of the month in Iran.

Ramadan in Gaza

This year’s Ramadan comes amid tinderbox tensions stemming from the ongoing war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians in Gaza are making preparations for Ramadan in the midst of Israel’s war on the territory, which poses immense challenges for those observing the holy month.

The Israeli regime is expected to impose restrictions on access for Palestinians to the holiest Muslim site in the occupied land.

The shadow of the war in Gaza will make this Ramadan a somber time for many.

Ramadan is also seen as a month of giving: Muslims around the world are encouraged to donate to charity and think of others’ plights. Fundraising and campaign efforts for Gaza are likely to rise during the holy month as a result.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing war in the enclave has exceeded 30,700.

The Israeli war on Gaza, which began on October 7, has left over 72,400 others injured in the besieged coastal territory.

Reported by Tohid Mahmoudpour