Ramadan: What you need to know | News

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is a time for fasting, reflection, prayer and community for Muslims across the world. 

The timing of Ramadan is linked to the lunar cycle and this year, it runs from Monday 11 March to Tuesday 9 April – from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. 

Eid al-Fitr – sometimes known as just ‘Eid’- marks the end of Ramadan and literally means ‘holiday of the breaking of the fast’. It’s a day-long celebration, on Tuesday 9 April this year. 

To wish someone a happy Ramadan, you can say ‘Ramadan Kareem’ (have a generous Ramadan) or Ramadan Mubarak (have a blessed Ramadan). 

Supporting our service users during Ramadan 

Fasting 

Fasting is an important part of Ramadan, and all healthy adult Muslims are obliged to abstain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. As the days get longer throughout Ramadan, the fast will also get longer each day, with the shortest fasting window being 13 hours 24 minutes on the first day. Below is a handy calendar outlining the fasting hours. 

While mental and physical ill health exempt people from having to fast, it’s important to us that we respect a service user’s wishes and offer medical advice on how best to approach the fasting period.

If you would like more information, you can check out this fasting fact sheet, which includes the calendar. 

More resources on fasting during Ramadan 

Making sure you are staying healthy during Ramadan is crucial. The North Central London (NCL) website has an informative page on how to manage your own medical appointments, medication and illness during fasting periods, and those of service users. 

Fasting can be particularly tricky to navigate for those with eating disorders, so see our Eating Disorders Service’s useful guide to religious fasting here.

Prayer 

Prayer is another key aspect of Ramadan and as with fasting, managers and clinical staff should be conscious of service users’ and staff needs during the month. During a typical 9-5 working day, someone will pray two or three times. 

This may mean offering appointments outside of prayer times, or allowing our staff flexible breaks that they can take to pray. 

There are multifaith prayer rooms at several of our sites open to staff during Ramadan.

Community 

Ramadan is about community and coming together to mark a special time in the Muslim calendar. Typically, Muslims break the fast every night among friends and family, known as ‘iftar’. 

With community in mind, why not ask your colleagues or friends about Ramadan to find out more about it? And please be compassionate as fasting can be tiring, so take time to check in with the people around you marking Ramadan too. 

Ramadan Mubarak to all our service users, carers and those in our local community during this special period!