Ramadan Around the World

Ramadan is a special month for Muslims worldwide. This month is marked by fasting, which requires refraining from food and drink from dawn to dusk. This is the period of prayer, inner reflection, and developing a connection with our Creator.

Fasting is more than going without meals; it is a reminder of those who face hunger daily without choice. Feeling that hunger ourselves softens the heart and encourages us to give more generously, to look after our neighbors, and to extend a helping hand to those who are struggling.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Ramadan is the month in which the Holy Qur’an began to be revealed as guidance to mankind. God says in the Holy Qur’an: “…The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination…” (2:186).

Ramadan is also a time for personal accountability. It pushes us to reflect on the habits we may have slipped into over the year, whether that is speaking carelessly, showing anger, spending too much time scrolling on our phones, or other worldly distractions that pull us away from what truly matters. The month invites us to reset. We devote more time to prayer and worship, wake before dawn for additional prayers, and try to complete at least one full reading of the Holy Qur’an. As the body abstains from food, the soul is nourished through remembrance of God, humility, and self-discipline.

At its heart, Ramadan is about returning to our purpose: to worship God and to serve humanity. The aim is not hardship for its own sake, but growth in righteousness and closeness to our Creator. The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, beautifully explained that fasting is not simply about refraining from food. He taught that when a person gives up physical bread, they seek instead the bread that nourishes the soul, the kind that brings inner peace and contentment.

In a time when many people feel isolated or weighed down by uncertainty and division, Ramadan offers an opportunity for reflection and hope. My prayer is that this sacred month becomes a source of peace and harmony not only for Muslims, but for everyone, and that we all find a deeper sense of contentment.