Ramadan

A 101 on why Ramadan is the holiest time of the Muslim year

As a spiritual guide for members of the Brandeis University community, this overview surfaces the highlights to orient readers on Ramadan logistics, practices, and obligations. It's a useful start for those interested in learning the basics around fasting rules, exemptions, the significance of iftar and suhoor, and common greetings.

A 12-minute crash course on Islam, its beliefs, and history

John Green's Crash Course World History episode overs Islam's core tenets, the Five Pillars, and the religions spread across continents in a jam-packed video under 15 minutes. The video is an efficient on-ramp for newcomers and is an ideal starting point to Islam.

How to sight the new crescent moon that starts Ramadan

Ramadan doesn't begin on a fixed date. Instead, it begins when a crescent moon is visually confirmed. The Royal Museums Greenwich explains the astronomy behind the sighting, including the conditions that must be met: the sun must be below the horizon, the moon must be above it, and the two must not be within the Danjon Limit (roughly 5 to 7 degrees of separation in the sky, as shown below).

Hear today's call to prayer and special 'duas' sung by the muezzin

The call to prayer is a distinctive sound marking the start and end of the fast each day, playing a key cultural role in the rhythms of the period. This archive collects "duas" (or supplications, or a prayerful petition) for each day in the year, with timely prayers and recitations sung by the muezzin, or cantor, in gorgeously intricate melodic intervals.

A podcast dramatization of the schism that split Islam into Sunni and Shia

The events following Muhammad's death were a bitter succession dispute that divided Islam into its two major branches. You can relive them in this dramatic narrative from the Conflicted History podcast, which provides an immersive entry point into the issue.

A readable narrative account of how Muhammad first received the Quran

The story behind Ramadan's origins involves a lesser-known layer of personal drama for Muhammad, who fled the Cave of Hira in fear thinking he had been possessed by the angel communicating with him. Only his wife, Khadijah, was able to reassure him. The first revelation came during Ramadan in 610 CE, but the full Quran took 23 years for the angel Jibril (or Gabriel) to deliver.

Ramadan will be celebrated twice in 2030 due to the 33-year lunar cycle

Because the Islamic year is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, Ramadan migrates through every season over a 33-year cycle. In 2030, it will fall twice in the same Gregorian year.

Aisha's firsthand account (or hadith) of Muhammad receiving the Quran

The hadith—or record of Muhammad's words or actions—includes an account from Muhammad's third wife, Aisha, who retells the story of Muhammad first receiving the revelation from Jibril. It's one of the most cited primary sources in Islamic tradition, and comes first in the broader Sahih al-Bukhari collection, a compilation of hadiths.

Laylat al-Qadr: the single Islamic night 'holier than a thousand months'

Toward the end of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr is observed, recalling Muhammad's "night of power" when the Quran was first revealed, according to Islamic tradition. The Quran describes it as better than a thousand months of worship. Its exact date differs between Sunni and Shia adherents, falling on the 27th night of the month for Sunnis and the 23rd for Shias.

In 1995, Hakeem Olajuwon won NBA Player of the Month while fasting

When Ramadan began on February 1, 1994, Olajuwon fasted every day of the month while playing for the Houston Rockets. He still won Player of the Month. His story is a fascinating look on how world-class athletes stay competitive while observing their religious obligations.