The Holy Month of Ramadan is expected to begin this weekend.
It is often considered to be one of the most important months in the Islamic calendar. Taking place over 30 days, Ramadan is the month where millions of Muslims fast, not eating or drinking water from sunrise to sunset.
Throughout the month, many important dates are marked. These include Laylat-al-Qadr and the revelation of the Torah and the Psalms.
READ MORE: Liverpool Ramadan timetable 2022: Prayer and fasting times
Following Ramadan comes Eid at-Fitr. This gets its name from an Arabic term which translates as the “feast of breaking the fast” and, although not a public holiday in the UK, it is for many Muslim countries.
Here are the key dates and a guide to fasting times for worshippers around the UK throughout the holy month.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is one of many months in the Islamic calendar and is considered to be one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. During this month, Muslims fast and do not eat or drink during the hours between sunrise and sunset.
Although fasting is most commonly understood as the obligation to fast during Ramadan, it is more broadly interpreted as the obligation to refrain between dawn and dusk from food, drink, sexual activity, and all forms of immoral behaviour, including impure or unkind thoughts. Including, false words, bad deeds or intentions.
Fasting at Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam – the fundamental rules that all Muslims follow – along with the Shahadah (declaration of faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity) and the Hajj pilgrimage. During Ramadan, there is an increased offering of the Salat, with Muslims giving thanks to Allah, while the fasting ritual allows them to understand the suffering of others.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, though the exact dates of Ramadan change every year as Islam uses a calendar based on the cycles of the Moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to start on Saturday, April 2. It lasts between 29 and 30 days, until the sighting of the next crescent moon marks the end of the holy month.
UK Ramadan 2022 fasting timetable
Here are the key timings day-by-day for Fajr and Maghrib – when the fast begins and ends – in London for the Muslim holy month. The start and end dates are contingent on the moon sighting which signifies when Ramadan begins, which was this year expected to be Monday 12 April, while the timings apply to London.
- Sat 2 April: 4.59am, 7.38pm
- Sun 3 April: 4.57am, 7.40pm
- Mon 4 April: 4.55am, 7.42pm
- Tue 5 April: 4.52am, 7.44pm
- Wed 6 April: 4.50am, 7.45pm
- Thu 7 April: 4.48am, 7.47pm
- Fri 8 April: 4.46am, 7.49pm
- Sat 9 April: 4.43am, 7.50pm
- Sun 10 April: 4.41am, 7.52pm
- Mon 11 April: 4.39am, 7.54pm
- Tue 12 April: 4.37am, 7.55pm
- Wed 13 April: 4.35am, 7.57pm
- Thu 14 April: 4.32am, 7.59pm
- Fri 15 April: 4.30am, 8.00pm
- Sat 16 April: 4.28am, 8.02pm
- Sun 17 April: 4.26am, 8.04pm
- Mon 18 April: 4.23am, 8.05pm
- Tue 19 April: 4.21am, 8.07pm
- Wed 20 April: 4.19am, 8.09pm
- Thu 21 April: 4.16am, 8.10pm
- Fri 22 April: 4.14am, 8.12pm
- Sat 23 April: 4.11am, 8.14pm
- Sun 24 April: 4.08am, 8.15pm
- Mon 25 April: 4.06am, 8.17pm
- Tue 26 April: 4.04am, 8.19pm
- Wed 27 April: 4.01am, 8.20pm
- Thu 28 April: 4.00am, 8.22pm
- Fri 29 April: 3.58am, 8.24pm
- Sat 30 April: 3.55am, 8.25pm
- Sun 1 May: 3.52am, 8.27pm
Because of the varying times of sunrise and sunset across the rest of the UK, it must be noted that there are variations in timing depending on location.
- UK variations relative to London (Time Fast Begins, Time Fast Ends)
- Birmingham: (8 minutes later, 6 minutes later)
- Bradford: (9 minutes later, 8 minutes later)
- Cardiff: (13 minutes later, 12 minutes later)
- Glasgow: (22 minutes later, 40 minutes later)
- Leeds: (7 minutes later, 4 minutes later)
- Liverpool: (12 minutes later, 9 minutes later)
- Manchester: (10 minutes later, 7 minutes later)
- Middlesbrough: (8 minutes later, 14 minutes later)
When is Eid 2022?
Ramadan is expected to end on Sunday 1 May, which would mean Eid al-Fitr follows on Sunday, May 2. In normal years, it is traditional for Muslims to gather together in a park to celebrate breaking their fast, with large-scale events and festival food (particularly sweet treats), prayer and stalls.
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