Five Things to Know About Ramadan

Ramadan doesn’t have previews.

There aren’t Ramadan sales for gifts, radio singles or colored lights that go up leading to the Muslim holy month. If anything, living in areas where Ramadan isn’t as well known as other religious holidays presents challenges.

Since eating is restricted between dawn and dusk, working day shifts can’t be easy—especially in this heat.

Here are a few other information nuggets about Ramadan, courtesy of Huffington Post:

1. Each day is considered holy, but one day is considered holier than the others. The Laylat al-Qadr is believed to be the night that the prophet Muhammad received the Quran.

2. The ritual fasting during day time also includes not drinking, smoking or having sex.

3. Ramadan start and end dates are based on the lunar calendar, so the dates change each year, often by about 11 days compared to the last year.

4. Each Muslim is expected to participate in the fasting once he or she hits puberty.

5. The purpose of Ramadan is to purify oneself through the fasting, and there are Muslims who take it a step further by volunteering in the community and helping those in need.

The Islamic City website has a tool for people to find precise times to start and stop fasting, by typing in city and state.