 Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims that commences on Thursday. The fast, observed from sunrise to sunset, lasts for 12 to 18 hours, depending on the location. It is believed that Ramadan marks the month when the initial verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 1,400 years ago. During the fast, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations during daylight hours to attain greater “taqwa,” or awareness of God. Ramadan starts on different dates each year due to the lunar Hijri calendar, which is 10 to 12 days shorter than the solar year. In 2030, Ramadan will be observed twice, first on January 5 and then on December 25. The length of the fast varies across the world. 
In cities like Nuuk, Reykjavik, and Helsinki, Muslims will have fasts lasting 17 hours, whereas those in cities like Singapore and Nairobi will fast for 13 hours. The duration of the fast decreases until 2031 in the Northern Hemisphere, where Ramadan will coincide with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.  However, the opposite will happen south of the equator. Suhoor, the predawn meal that begins the daily fast, and iftar, the meal that ends the fast after sunset, are two significant parts of the Ramadan fast. Religious rulings have been put in place in northernmost cities like Longyearbyen, where the sun does not set from April 20 to August 22, to follow the timings in Mecca or the nearest Muslim country.
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