What is the first day of ramadan

Hear that? It's the sound of stomachs rumbling across the nation. 

With over 600,000 Muslims living in Australia, there's a good chance that a friend, a neighbour, or a co-worker of yours will be celebrating Ramadan.

To help answer your burning questions, two Muslim women, Zathia and Dania, share what Ramadan means to them and how they plan on celebrating it. 

When is Ramadan 2022?

The first night of Ramadan began on Friday, April 1. It will end on the evening of Sunday, May 1. 

It is always held on the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar — a calendar that is based on the phases of the moon.

The 12 months of this calendar add up to 354 days: 11 days shorter than the standard Gregorian calendar. 

Because of this, the Islamic Lunar calendar moves backwards 11 days each year. 

So, every year, the first day of Ramadan falls 11 days earlier. 

What is Ramadan? 

Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for Muslims.

During its 29 to 30 days, Muslims fast every day from sunrise to sunset. 

When the sun sets, there is a communal meal called Iftar where you break your fast, typically with your family or friends. 

But the month of Ramadan is about more than just fasting.

Doing good deeds such as charity, increasing your generosity and abstaining from sinful acts, such as gossip, are all important traits of Ramadan. 

It is a month of self-reflection and a way for Muslims to develop positive habits that can be continued and encouraged once Ramadan is over.

What do Muslims do during Ramadan?

Zathia Bazeer, 25, relocated to Brisbane from Melbourne this year to complete a journalism fellowship.

While her typical Ramadan practices would involve going to mosques and households with family and friends, 2022 will be different. 

"This year, Ramadan will be a little lonely," she said. "I'll miss the community events we would go to in Melbourne," she said.

"In a way, the 2021 lockdown was good because it meant my whole family was at home.

"We got to break fast together, without getting caught up in work or any distractions."

What happens after Ramadan? 

After the fasting, comes the feasting. 

Ending a month of fasting, Muslims celebrate with a three-day festival called Eid al-Fitr, or Festival of Breaking the Fast, and wish each other "Eid Mubarak" meaning: "Have a blessed Eid".

During Eid, Muslims have family, friends and neighbours over, indulging them in a feast and eating traditional foods only made during this time. 

"My favourite thing about Ramadan is breaking fast together and celebrating Eid at the end of the month," Zathia said.

"We get to wear cultural clothing, exchange gifts and be around family."

What are the rules of Ramadan?

During Ramadan, Muslims don't eat food or drink any liquids from sunrise to sunset.

Those participating will usually wake up early to eat a big meal so that they won't be hungry throughout the day. 

And those who don't wake up early have a big dinner before going to bed. 

It's important to note that not every Muslim will fast this Ramadan. Young children and the elderly are exempt from fasting, along with those who are: 

• Sick
• Pregnant
• Nursing
• Menstruating 
• Travelling long distances 

But what happens if you miss a fast? You can make up for it by fasting at a later date.

If you can't fast because of health reasons, it is encouraged you donate food or money to the poor instead. 

Why do Muslims fast during Ramadan?

Contrasting Zathia's experience, Dania Roumieh, 23, says this year's Ramadan be very different to the last. 

"Since the majority of Ramadan this year will be held during school holidays, my family and I have the privilege to engage in more spiritual commitments, knowing this won’t be taken away by the school routine and deadlines," she said. 

"Ramadan is about so much more than fasting." 

"It's an opportunity to exercise our self-discipline and refrain ourselves from not only food, but from superficial and unnecessary desires."

Last year, the pandemic obstructed a number of communities from coming together.

With fewer lockdowns across the country this year, Dania and many more Muslims are looking forward to their families and friends joining together in local mosques and households. 

Can I eat in front of someone who is fasting?

Yes, you can eat and drink in front of someone fasting for Ramadan during the day. 

They'll most likely turn down your invite to brunch, but you can have dinner together when they break their fast. 

Inviting a person to break their fast with you is a big part of the celebration, given that Ramadan is about coming together.

The practise of fasting for Ramadan serves spiritual and social purposes. 

It allows you to see what it feels like to be hungry and thirsty so that you feel compassion and a duty to help those less fortunate.

With Zathia starting her new job this year, her usual fasting practices will be challenged.

"I’ll be waking up before the sunrise to have my first meal. I'll then stop eating after sunrise, then head to work," she said.

"I'm going to have to learn how to manage my energy because my job involves being out all day, speaking to people, so it’ll definitely test me." 

How can I wish my Muslim friends a happy Ramadan?

You're welcome to say, "Happy Ramadan" or "Happy Eid". 

You can also say "Ramadan Mubarak", which means: "Have a blessed Ramadan".

Another popular greeting is "Ramadan Kareem", which means: "Have a generous Ramadan".

And no, you don't have to be participating in Ramadan to say these greetings. 

It's helpful to think of them as festive greetings in the same way as "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah".

The first day of fasting for the holy month of Ramadan is likely to be Saturday, April 2.

To establish the beginning of Ramadan, which is determined by the sighting of the new moon, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries rely on the testimonies of moon sighters.

This year will see the return of pilgrims in full numbers for the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, as Saudi Arabia lifted most restrictions just ahead of Ramadan.

Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are all expected to follow Saudi Arabia’s sighting of the new moon.

Other countries have independent sightings, but Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco and Syria are also likely to begin fasting starting Saturday, while countries further east and west will commence as the moon is sighted.

When can we see the new moon?

According to Crescent Moon Watch, a moon tracker run by the United Kingdom’s Nautical Almanac Office, Ramadan’s new moon will arrive on April 1 at 06:24 GMT. On that day, the moon might be visible in parts of North, Central, and South America. On April 2, the moon will be easily visible in most parts of the world.

The actual visibility of the crescent will depend on factors such as atmospheric conditions, cloudiness and the distance between the sun and the moon on the horizon.

The moon phases of Ramadan

Lunar months last between 29 and 30 days, depending on the sighting of the new moon on the 29th night of each month. If the new moon is not visible, the month lasts 30 days.

Why is Ramadan holy?

Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.

Throughout the month, observing Muslims fast from just before the sunrise, or Fajr, prayer to the sunset prayer, Maghrib.

The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations to achieve greater “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca if physically and financially capable.

In many Muslim-majority countries, working hours are reduced, and many restaurants are closed during fasting hours.

Languages from various Muslim majority nations have a personalised greeting in their native languages. “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem” are common greetings exchanged in this period, wishing the recipient a blessed and generous month respectively.

Last year, fasting across the world ranged from 10 to 20 hours a day.

At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr. In Arabic, it means “festival of breaking the fast”.

Depending on the new moon sighting, Eid al-Fitr this year is likely to fall on May 2.