Ramadan

Ramadan is one of the most significant months of the Islamic calendar, a time to reap the immense blessings and rewards it brings. Believers strive in worship and good deeds, as this noble month multiplies rewards. Charity is at the heart of Ramadan, with Muslims generously giving their Sadaqah, Zakat, Fidya and Fitrana. 

What is Ramadan? 

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and fasting during it is the fourth pillar of Islam. Every able adult Muslim must fast, abstaining from food, drink, intimacy and sinful behaviour from dawn to sunset. It is a time for reflection, worship and giving, ending with Zakat al-Fitr, the obligatory charity paid before the Eid prayer. 

The Islamic calendar is lunar, so Ramadan moves around 11 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. It lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the new moon. 

In summer, fasts in the UK can last 18 to 20 hours, depending on location. In winter, they are much shorter, at around 9 to 10 hours. 

Ramadan holds special significance because it is the month in which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet ﷺ, on Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power). Allah (SWT) describes this night as “better than a thousand months” (Quran 97:3). Many believe it falls on the 27th night, but the Prophet ﷺ told believers to seek it in the odd nights of the last ten (Sahih al-Bukhari 2017). Many Muslims give their Zakat and Sadaqah on these nights to multiply their reward. 

When is Ramadan 2027 in the UK? 

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 or Tuesday 9 February, depending on the moon sighting. Eid al-Fitr is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March. Check with your local mosque for confirmed dates. 

Rules Around Fasting in Ramadan 

Allah says in the Quran, 
“Oh, you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn piety and righteousness” [Quran 2:183] 

The fast begins at Fajr (dawn) and ends at Maghrib (sunset). Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, is a blessed Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Take Suhur, for in it there is blessing” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923). Iftar breaks the fast at sunset, traditionally with dates and water, following the Sunnah. 

Choose nourishing, slow-release foods and drink plenty of water between Iftar and Suhoor to stay healthy throughout the month. 

Things That Invalidate the Fast 

The fast is broken by deliberately eating, drinking or being intimate, by deliberately vomiting, and by the start of menstruation or post-natal bleeding. Eating or drinking by mistake does not break the fast, so simply continue fasting. 

Most broken fasts must be made up later (qada). Kaffarah applies only when a fast is broken deliberately without a valid reason. Hanafi scholars apply it to deliberate eating, drinking or intimacy, while Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars apply it to intimacy only. See below for details. 

Exemption from Fasting in Ramadan 

Allah (SWT) has granted exemptions to those who are unable to fast. The following people do not have to fast in Ramadan: 

• Children who have not yet reached puberty 
• Those without mental capacity 
• Women who are menstruating, experiencing post-natal bleeding, pregnant or breastfeeding 
• Those who are ill 
• Those who are travelling 
• The elderly and those with a chronic illness who cannot fast 

Those with a temporary reason, such as travel, short-term illness, menstruation, pregnancy or breastfeeding, must make up their missed fasts before the next Ramadan. Those who can never make them up, such as the elderly or chronically ill, pay Fidya instead. 

Fidya 

Fidya is paid by those who cannot fast and cannot make up their fasts later. It feeds one person in need for each missed fast. At Muslim Aid, Fidya is expected to be £5 per missed fast, or £150 for the whole month. 

Kaffarah (Expiation for Breaking a Ramadan Fast) 

Deliberately breaking a Ramadan fast without a valid reason requires Kaffarah. This means fasting 60 consecutive days or, if genuinely unable, feeding 60 people in need, which is £300 per broken fast at the expected rate. The broken fast must also be made up. 

Eid Celebration 

Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, a joyful day of gratitude, family and celebration. On Eid morning, Muslims take a bath, wear their best clothes and eat an odd number of dates before heading to the Eid prayer, following the Sunnah (Sahih al-Bukhari 953). Fitrana must be paid before the prayer. Afterwards, believers greet one another with “Eid Mubarak” and share meals and gifts with family and friends. 

Joining Muslim Aid for your Ramadan Donations 

Your Ramadan donations to Muslim Aid can transform lives around the world. Pay your Zakat al-Fitr before Eid and extend your generosity with Zakat and Sadaqah. With your support in Ramadan 2027, Muslim Aid can reach families struggling to survive every day. Donate today and secure your reward with Allah (SWT).