The month of Ramadan is one of the primary pillars within the teachings of Islam, which not only becomes a spiritual moment for Muslims around the world, but also reflects a deeply rooted historical, cultural, and scientific heritage. As the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan has become a symbol of fasting, self-introspection, and social solidarity since the 7th century CE. However, its roots extend back to the pre-Islamic era, and fasting practices with similar patterns can also be found in other Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism and Christianity.
In this article, we will examine in detail the history of Ramadan, its comparison with other religious traditions, the astronomical and mathematical aspects involved in determining its beginning, the variance in fasting duration across different regions, cultural traditions in specific countries, as well as health and psychological benefits—culminating in the celebration at the end known as Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast). This exposition is based on historical facts, textual evidence from primary sources such as the Holy Quran and hadith, along with contemporary scientific data, with the aim of providing a deeply holistic understanding.
This article is structured systematically so readers can follow the flow—from historical foundations to modern implications. Although the main focus is Islam, we will also discuss cross-religion context to show the common spiritual threads within the Abrahamic tradition.
History of Ramadan: From the Pre-Islamic Calendar to a Religious Obligation
Ramadan is not a newly invented feature of Islam; the name of this month already existed in the ancient Arab lunar calendar before the coming of Prophet Muhammad. The pre-Islamic Arab calendar consisted of 12 months based on lunar cycles, and Ramadan was included among them as the 9th month. However, Islam gave it new religious dimensions—transforming it from a mere temporal marker into a period of intensive worship.
The command to fast in Ramadan was formally revealed after the journey Prophet Muhammad and his followers took from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE (the 2nd year of the lunar calendar). The primary evidence comes from the Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah (The Heifer) verse 183–185, which states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become mindful and God-conscious. For a limited number of days. But whoever among you is ill or on a journey shall make up an equal number of days later. And for those who are able to do it with great difficulty, there is a ransom: feeding a poor person. Yet whoever volunteers more of good, it is better for him. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew. The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down — as guidance for humanity, and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it. And whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days. God intends ease for you, not hardship. And so that you may complete the required number, and magnify God for having guided you, and so that you may be grateful.”
— The Holy Quran, Ch. Al-Baqarah (The Heifer), Verse: 183-185
This passage not only establishes fasting as an obligatory practice for healthy adult Muslims, but also alludes to “those before you,” indicating continuity with earlier Abrahamic traditions.
Historically, Ramadan fasting began in the 2nd year of journey—immediately after the Battle of Badr (624 CE)—and became one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Prophetic hadith (Bukhari and Muslim) emphasize that this fast aims to purify the soul, enhance empathy toward the poor, and bring one closer to God. Archaeological evidence and historical texts—such as Ibn Ishaq’s record in prophetic biography Prophet Muhammad—show that pre-Islamic Arabs already knew sporadic fasting practices, but Islam systematized it into a strict monthly ritual.
In modern contexts, determining the beginning of Ramadan often becomes a global issue due to methodological differences—but its historical root remains the same: based on the observation of the new crescent, as the Prophet said: “Fast when you see it (the crescent), and break your fast when you see it” (Bukhari). This makes Ramadan an early example of how Islam integrated astronomical knowledge.
The Context of Fasting in Other Abrahamic Religions: A Factual Comparison
Fasting is not an exclusively Islamic practice; it is a shared motif within the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Holy Quran itself confirms this in chapter Al-Baqarah (The Heifer) verse 183, which names fasting as a requirement for “those before you,” referring to the communities of Prophet Moses (Judaism) and Prophet Jesus (Christianity).
In Judaism
Fasting in Jewish tradition has existed since the era of the Torah. A primary example is Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), a full 25-hour fast from sunset to the following sunset, mandated in Leviticus 23:27–32.
In addition, there are minor fasts such as Tisha B’Av (commemorating the destruction of the Temple) and the Fast of Esther. Historical evidence from the Talmud shows that these fasts served the purpose of atonement and introspection.
However, unlike Ramadan, Jewish fasting does not last an entire month—only on specific appointed days—and is obligatory only for healthy adults.
In Christianity
Fasting is also present in Christianity from the early era, as mentioned in Matthew 6:16–18, where Jesus teaches fasting as an act of humility.
In early Christianity (pre-Council of Nicaea, 325 CE), fasting was practiced before Easter. Modern tradition includes Lent (40 days of fasting in Catholic and Orthodox churches), which involves abstaining from certain foods such as meat.
However, the duration and strictness vary by denomination—Eastern Orthodoxy is typically more rigorous than Protestantism. Unlike Ramadan, Lent is not a full-day fast from dawn to sunset, and its legal status is not uniformly obligatory.
Comparison with Islam
In Islam, the Ramadan fast is obligatory for legally accountable, healthy adults — excluding travelers, and women who are currently menstruating or in postpartum bleeding — lasting a lunar month (29–30 days) from dawn until sunset.
The following table presents a factual comparison:
| Tradition | Fasting Exists? | Similar to Ramadan? | Legal Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judaism | Yes (Yom Kippur, etc.) | No, only specific days. | Obligatory on specific appointed days. |
| Christianity | Yes (Lent, historically.) | Different; not a full month and not as strict. | Non-uniform; varies by denomination. |
| Islam | Yes (Ramadan). | Yes, one lunar month. | Obligatory. |
Overall, fasting is an Abrahamic motif for approaching God, but Ramadan is a specific form mandated in Islam with emphatic daily discipline.
Astronomical and Mathematical Aspects in Determining Ramadan
The determination of the beginning of Ramadan depends on new crescent observation, which makes it deeply linked to astronomy and mathematics. The Islamic calendar is an astronomical lunar calendar, with one synodic month ≈29.53 days, which is why Ramadan “moves back” about 10–11 days every Gregorian year. For 2026, the projected first day of fasting is around 17–18 February, depending on new crescent visibility.
Quranic and Hadith Basis
The Holy Quran chapter Al-Baqarah (The Heifer) verse 185 and the hadith “ṣūmū li-ru’yatihi” emphasize new crescent observation. Scholars such as Al-Battani (9th century) and Al-Biruni (11th century) integrated astronomy into Islamic jurisprudence, using ephemeris data for prediction.
Core Mathematical Concepts
- Conjunction (Astronomical New Moon): The moment when elongation (Sun–Moon angle) = 0°. Computed as: $ \text{Elongation} = |\lambda_{\text{moon}} - \lambda_{\text{sun}}| $. Uses VSOP87 (Sun) and ELP/MPP02 (Moon).
- Visibility Parameters: Not the conjunction itself, but the Moon’s position at sunset:
- Altitude (h): $ \arcsin(\sin\phi \sin\delta + \cos\phi \cos\delta \cos H) $, where $ \phi $ = latitude, $ \delta $ = Moon’s declination, $ H $ = hour angle.
- Elongation (E): $ \arccos(\sin\delta_{\text{sun}} \sin\delta_{\text{moon}} + \cos\delta_{\text{sun}} \cos\delta_{\text{moon}} \cos(\lambda_{\text{moon}} - \lambda_{\text{sun}})) $.
- Visibility Criteria:
- MABIMS (Southeast Asia): altitude ≥3°, elongation ≥6.4°.
- Yallop (Royal Greenwich Observatory): $ W = h - 0.1018 \times \exp(0.1098 \times E) $; if W > 0 = visible.
These methods are also used for Eid al-Fitr (start of Shawwal or Festival of Breaking the Fast) and Eid al-Adha (start of Dhu al-Hijjah or Festival Commemorating Abraham’s Willingness to Sacrifice His Son), with the only difference being the target month. Differences in dates between countries are caused by longitude, methodology, and thresholds.
| Computation Level | Function | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Celestial Mechanics | Sun and Moon positions ($ \lambda $, $ \delta $) | Ecliptic Coordinates |
| Spherical Trigonometry | Altitude and Azimuth at Sunset | Horizon Coordinates |
| Empirical Model | Visibility Prediction | Yes/No Decision |
This demonstrates Islam as a religion that has been “science-friendly” since its early era.
Variation in Fasting Duration Across Regions: Latitude and Seasonal Effects
Fasting duration (from dawn to sunset) varies because day length depends on latitude and Earth’s axial tilt (23.44°). Baseline formula: $ \text{Day length} \approx \frac{2}{15} \arccos(-\tan \varphi \tan \delta) $, where $ \varphi $ = latitude, $ \delta $ = Sun’s declination.
- Low Latitudes (Equator): Relatively stable at ±11–13 hours. Suḥūr (pre-dawn meal) is usually around 2–3 AM, and ifṭār (fast-breaking meal) around 6:00 PM. Sleep rhythm is generally comfortable.
- High Latitudes (e.g., Finland): Extreme variation; 19–21 hours in summer, 6–8 hours in winter. Islamic jurisprudence permits following Mecca’s timing in extreme cases.
- New Zealand (Southern Mid-Latitude): Shorter hours in winter, longer in summer. Seasonal variation exists, but not as extreme as polar regions.
These reflect general latitudinal patterns; specific Ramadan fasting hours vary by Gregorian date.
In polar regions such as Tromsø, Norway, the sun does not set, so religious opinions use reference-based timing. The fasting experience is not only spiritual but also physiological: short fasting can disrupt sleep, long fasting stresses circadian rhythms.
Traditions and Social Aspects of Ramadan
Ramadan is not merely an individual period of fasting, but a collective celebration that reshapes the social dynamics of Muslim societies worldwide — where people who are normally preoccupied with daily routines find space to gather, share, and reinforce bonds of brotherhood. Across nations, these traditions appear in unique forms, reflecting a fusion between universal Islamic teachings and local cultural elements, thus creating a sense of global unity despite diversity. In China — especially in the Xinjiang region and among Hui communities in Gansu and Ningxia — Ramadan traditions include communal fast-breaking evening in mosque courtyards which function as social hubs, where specialty foods such as naan, samsa, laghman, and qurut are distributed widely, while Uyghur-style Ramadan bazaars offer vibrant street food scenes accompanied by bilingual night sermons in Uyghur and Mandarin or Arabic, and the circular communal recitation of the Quran involving the entire community — including youth who often play traditional Turkic instruments such as the dutar or rawap after fast-breaking evening to enrich the warm atmosphere.
In Türkiye, Ramadan traditions are iconic and rooted in Ottoman heritage — where the city-roaming drummers known as davulcusu walk around at 2–3 AM. to wake residents for pre-dawn meal, a sound that has become both a symbol of spiritual awakening and an enduring cultural practice. Meanwhile, mahya — decorative light messages such as “Hoş geldin Ya Şehr-i Ramazan” — are hung between two minarets to illuminate the sacred nights, and the ifṭār gun or ceremonial cannon firing in Istanbul marks the moment of breaking the fast with a resonating boom. Special Ramadan bread known as ramazan pide is sold only during this month, and ramazan çadırı — open ifṭār tents — provide free meals for all social classes, including the poor, strengthening social solidarity amidst the bustle of the city.
In Russia, Ramadan traditions have expanded with festival-style events such as the “Шатер Рамадана” in Moscow — a daily communal fast-breaking evening hub uniting hundreds of people from various ethnicities and faith backgrounds to eat together, enhancing Muslim brotherhood within a multicultural society. The world’s largest mass fast-breaking evening meal — involving up to 12,000 participants — has been held in Tatarstan and other Russian cities, sponsored by regional governments since the post-Soviet era. In the Caucasus — including Chechnya and Dagestan — mosques conduct Quran recitation sessions after tarāwīḥ (Ramadan night congregational prayers), along with intensive Quran courses, which not only enrich religious knowledge but also serve as powerful nodes of social interaction — where Eid al-Fitr celebrations often draw thousands to grand mosques such as the Moscow Cathedral Mosque for mass prayer and communal feasts. Overall, these social dimensions of Ramadan do not merely strengthen family and community bonds — they also promote values such as empathy, generosity, and inclusivity, ultimately restoring a sense of togetherness in an increasingly individualistic world, as observed in global ethnographic studies that describe Ramadan as a shared experience transcending geographic and cultural boundaries.
Health, Psychological, and Spiritual Benefits of Ramadan
Contemporary scientific research increasingly supports the benefits of fasting in Ramadan, which are not limited to spiritual aspects but also include physical, psychological, and emotional health—supported by various studies showing how intermittent fasting patterns similar to Ramadan can positively affect the body. Physically, Ramadan fasting has been shown to help regulate metabolism, promote weight reduction, and reduce systemic inflammation, as highlighted in studies discussing the process of autophagy—a mechanism in which cells clear themselves of damaged components when the body is in a low-nutrient state, a mechanism discovered by a Japanese cell biologist specializing in autophagy, Yoshinori Ohsumi, recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Medicine. In addition, recent research shows that this fasting can lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, support fat burning through lipolysis, and improve gut microbiome composition—ultimately contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. A 2024 study also found that modified Ramadan fasting can improve body composition and reduce oxidative stress, although its effects vary depending on dietary patterns during fast-breaking evening and pre-dawn meal, where it is recommended to avoid high-fat foods for these benefits to be optimal.
Psychologically, Ramadan fasting has been linked to enhanced overall mental well-being, including increased self-acceptance, autonomy, positive relations, environmental mastery, and personal growth, as evidenced in research examining the impact of fasting on psychological well-being scales. Other studies show that this fasting can increase positive mood, vitality, and reduce negative emotions such as anxiety and depression—although there are variations depending on the type of intermittent fasting applied—with reductions in depression possibly driven by hormonal changes and enhanced self-regulation. Mindfulness practices during fasting—such as focusing on prayer and introspection—also support mental clarity, with evidence showing increased concentration, memory, and impulse control through delayed gratification training in the prefrontal cortex, making the fasting experience a tool for building emotional resilience and self-discipline. Additionally, community aspects such as shared fast-breaking evening and Ramadan night congregational prayers contribute to a sense of belonging that reduces social isolation, while digital detox—where people intentionally reduce social media usage to focus on worship—can clear the mind from the daily noise of information overload.
On the spiritual dimension, Ramadan offers profound growth through the combination of fasting, prayer, and charity—elevating gratitude and empathy while creating a synchronization between internal rhythm and social rhythm through the neuroscience of ritual, in which regular acts of worship such as Ramadan night congregational prayers and Quran study and recitation generate entrainment that soothes both mind and soul. Studies show that this fasting can enhance spiritual achievement and emotional resilience, with many participants reporting increased closeness to God and a higher sense of spiritual fulfilment—aligned with the primary purpose of fasting: attaining God-consciousness. Overall, these benefits are interconnected—physical health supports psychological stability, which in turn strengthens spiritual experience—making Ramadan not merely a religious ritual but also a holistic practice that has been scientifically validated for 1400 years, with modern research continuing to confirm its potential for integral well-being.
Celebration of Eid al-Fitr: The Social and Emotional Peak
Eid al-Fitr is not merely a “feast day” but the grand finale of the thirty-day drama called Ramadan. It is at once a celebration of victory and a communal release of joy. Imagine: after an entire month of restraining hunger and thirst, curbing desires, guarding the tongue from harsh words, turning away from bad deeds, and resisting gossip and other harmful impulses — Muslims around the world simultaneously lift that restraint in one highly organized explosion of joy. In the morning, mosques run out of space; prayer lines spill into streets, sidewalks, and even soccer fields. From Jakarta and Istanbul to Mecca and Moscow, drone footage often reveals seas of prayer rugs forming massive geometric patterns that appear only once a year. In some years, large mosques report crowds numbering in the tens or hundreds of thousands; in Mecca, the faithful gather in their millions.
After the prayer, the ritual of post-Ramadan forgiveness begins: a chain of handshakes and embraces that can take hours. One by one, people approach one another, kiss cheeks up to three times, and say, “May Allah accept our deeds and yours.” Behind these short sentences lies an annual relationship reset: year-long grudges soften, emotional debts are cleared, and kinship ties are rebooted. In Türkiye, children go door-to-door collecting candies — a culturally rooted, halal echo of trick-or-treating; in Tatarstan and other parts of Russia, decorated car parades distribute bread and milk to entire neighbourhoods.
At night, skies over Muslim cities blaze with fireworks displays that range from intimate community shows to spectacular, citywide productions. Dubai often stages a synchronized show around the Burj Khalifa; Kuala Lumpur transforms the Petronas Towers into a giant LED billboard wishing “Eid Mubarak” in many languages; coastal cities time fireworks to reflect over harbors; and smaller towns light bonfires and set off rockets that animate the countryside. These displays are as much civic pageant as private celebration — a visual punctuation mark to the month’s inward discipline.
Anthropologically, Eid functions as a classic rite of passage in the Van Gennep sense:
- Separation: thirty days of fasting detach participants from routine worldly habits.
- Liminality: the nights of Eid Takbir chanting and the final days when social boundaries soften.
- Reintegration: the morning of Eid, when people reenter society with renewed identities — more patient, more generous, and spiritually refreshed.
The effects are tangible. National happiness indices often tick upward in Muslim-majority countries during Eid week, and domestic travel surges as people return home. In Indonesia, for example, the annual homecoming known as mudik moves tens of millions of people within a span of days — one of the largest seasonal human migrations on Earth. Train tickets sell out well in advance, highways clog for hundreds of kilometers, and yet there is a pervasive goodwill: “going home” is an emotional pilgrimage as much as a physical journey.
Beyond prayer and family reunion, Eid is a festival of public culture: markets, food, music, and charity. Street bazaars and mosque courtyards fill with sellers of new clothing, sweets, and aromatic foods. Henna artists work late into the night decorating hands and forearms; tailors and shoe-makers rush bespoke orders; and television networks air special dramas and family programs designed for the holiday audience. Charitable giving — both formal zakat payments and spontaneous distributions of food and money — intensifies, reminding communities that celebration is owed to the less fortunate as well.
In different regions the holiday acquires distinct local colours. In Central and South Asia, layered sweet breads and meat stews dominate the table; in the Maghreb, neighbourhood bakeries produce special pastries; in Southeast Asia, elaborate rice dishes and coconut desserts are central to family feasts. The diaspora reinterprets Eid yet again: in Western capitals you will find multicultural Eid fairs, interfaith open mosques, and community concerts where traditional instruments meet contemporary arrangements.
A few contemporary cultural notes worth highlighting:
- Fireworks and city spectacles: Major Muslim cities stage shows that range from municipal displays to coordinated light and drone spectacles. These productions are increasingly choreographed to celebrate cultural pluralism — LED messages, synchronized music, and long fireworks sequences that turn skylines into festival canvases.
- Ramadan Fest and cultural fairs: Across Europe and in parts of Russia, municipal Ramadan festivals and night markets have become annual fixtures. In cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, cultural organizations and embassies host Ramadan Fest-style events featuring food stalls, live music, religious talks, children’s workshops, and film screenings.
- Community theatre and children’s pageants: In many places, schools and mosques stage short plays about charity, patience, and family — small productions that teach values while entertaining younger audiences.
- Eid bazaars and small enterprises: Holiday markets provide vital income for artisans, home bakers, and small vendors, creating a local economic boom for several weeks around Eid.
- Media and transnational connections: Satellite and streaming platforms broadcast sermons, concerts, and special programs that allow families separated by distance to observe the same rituals virtually, synchronising prayer and celebration across time zones.
Finally, Eid is a kaleidoscope of personal narratives: the adult who returns to an ancestral home after years abroad; the child whose first new outfit sparks shy pride; the volunteer distributing parcels to the elderly; the neighbour whose forgiveness ends a decade-long dispute. These small stories, multiplied by millions, are what give Eid its enduring force. It is a holiday that reclaims social life from the private reforms of a month and transforms them into public acts of joy, remembrance, and communal care.
Eid is at once private and public, humble and spectacular — a global ritual with infinite local variations. Wherever it is observed, it marks not only the end of fasting but the reawakening of bonds: to family, to community, and to a shared sense of moral renewal. Eid Mubarak — may the blessing of the day be visible in both feasts and small acts of kindness.
Conclusion
Ramadan and Eid are an annual time-machine that brings 1.9 billion Muslims back to three coordinates simultaneously:
- The Past: remembering the Prophet’s journey, reenacting the fast of Abraham, and reviving pre-Islamic Arabian tradition that is 2,000 years old.
- The Present: uniting believers from the North Pole to the South within one identical sky-based algorithm: the new crescent, dawn, sunset, the call of declaration of God’s greatness.
- The Future: training 8 billion cells and 86 billion neurons for discipline, empathy, and resilience — core assets for facing climate crisis, pandemics, and technological disruption in the 21st century.
From the spherical-trigonometry equation $ \arcsin(\sin\phi \sin\delta + \cos\phi \cos\delta \cos H) $ that determines the visibility of the crescent, to Yoshinori Ohsumi’s autophagy that cleans cellular pathways, from the Ottoman davulcusu drummers who wake people for pre-dawn meals to the Ramadan Fest in Russia that unites thousands from 40 ethnic groups — all are woven together in one short Quranic sentence: “So that you may attain God-consciousness.”
And that taqwa (God-consciousness) is not merely an ancient Arabic word. It is a holistic blueprint for the modern human: healthier body, clearer mind, stronger community, greener planet — because for one full month we learned to live with less. When Eid fireworks fade and children fall asleep with full stomachs, one thing is certain: that time-machine will spin again next year — exactly when the thin crescent smiles again on the western horizon. See you next Ramadan, may we all live long enough to witness the most beautiful annual reset of the human race once more.
- Ramadan, the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar, serves as a pillar of Islam emphasizing fasting, introspection, and solidarity, with roots in the 7th century CE but echoing pre-Islamic practices and similar traditions in Judaism and Christianity.
- The article explores its history, interfaith comparisons, astronomical determination, regional variations, cultural traditions, health benefits, and Eid al-Fitr celebration, drawing from Quranic texts, hadiths, and scientific data for a holistic view.
- Ramadan existed in the ancient Arab lunar calendar before Islam, but gained religious significance post-journey in 622 CE, formalized in Quran’s chapter Al-Baqarah (The Heifer) verse 183–185, prescribing fasting for spiritual growth and empathy.
- It became one of Islam’s Five Pillars after the Battle of Badr in 624 CE, systematizing pre-Islamic sporadic fasting into a monthly ritual, determined by crescent sighting as per prophetic hadith.
- Fasting is a shared Abrahamic practice; Quran references it as prescribed for prior communities, like Yom Kippur in Judaism (25-hour atonement fast) and Lent in Christianity (40 days of partial abstinence).
- Comparisons highlight differences: Judaism focuses on specific days, Christianity varies by denomination, while Islamic Ramadan is a strict, obligatory lunar month for healthy adults.
- Ramadan starts with new crescent visibility, linking to astronomy; the lunar calendar shifts ~10–11 days annually, projecting 2026 start around February 17–18.
- Mathematical models include conjunction, elongation formulas like \( \arccos(\sin\delta_{\text{sun}} \sin\delta_{\text{moon}} + \cos\delta_{\text{sun}} \cos\delta_{\text{moon}} \cos(\lambda_{\text{moon}} - \lambda_{\text{sun}})) \), and criteria such as MABIMS (altitude ≥3°, elongation ≥6.4°).
- Fasting length varies by latitude and season, calculated via day length formula \( \frac{2}{15} \arccos(-\tan \varphi \tan \delta) \); equatorial regions ~11–13 hours, high latitudes like Finland up to 21 hours in summer.
- In extreme polar areas, jurists allow Mecca timing; variations impact sleep and physiology, with shorter fasts disrupting rhythms and longer ones stressing circadian cycles.
- In China, communal fast-breaking evening in mosques feature Uyghur foods like naan and laghman, with bazaars and Quran recitations blending Islamic and local Turkic elements.
- Turkey’s Ottoman-influenced traditions include davulcusu drummers for pre-dawn meal, mahya lights on minarets, and free ifṭār tents promoting solidarity.
- Russia hosts large ifṭār like Moscow’s Shater Ramadana, uniting diverse ethnicities, with Quran sessions and government-sponsored events in Tatarstan and the Caucasus.
- Physically, fasting promotes autophagy (Nobel-recognized by Yoshinori Ohsumi), weight loss, reduced inflammation, better insulin sensitivity, and microbiome health, per recent studies.
- Psychologically, it boosts mood, reduces anxiety, enhances self-regulation, and fosters community bonds, while spiritually, it builds taqwa through prayer and charity.
- Eid marks Ramadan’s end with massive prayers, forgiveness rituals, family reunions, and fireworks; anthropologically, it’s a rite of passage fostering renewal and joy.
- Regional variations include Türkiye’s candy collections, Russia’s cultural fests, and global migrations like Indonesia’s mudik, with markets, media, and charity amplifying communal ties.
- Ramadan acts as a “time-machine” connecting past traditions, present global unity, and future resilience, blending science, culture, and spirituality for holistic well-being.
Introduction to Ramadan
History of Ramadan: From the Pre-Islamic Calendar to a Religious Obligation
The Context of Fasting in Other Abrahamic Religions: A Factual Comparison
Astronomical and Mathematical Aspects in Determining Ramadan
Variation in Fasting Duration Across Regions: Latitude and Seasonal Effects
Traditions and Social Aspects of Ramadan
Health, Psychological, and Spiritual Benefits of Ramadan
Celebration of Eid al-Fitr: The Social and Emotional Peak
Conclusion
