يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ
“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship”
Part of Qur'an 2:185 · Surah Al-Baqarah · Saheeh International
Ramadan is not a test you pass or fail. It is a month to come closer to Allah, one day at a time. Every Muslim you meet had a first Ramadan too.
What matters most
No food, drink or sex from dawn until sunset, if you are able.
Illness, travel and some other reasons excuse you. See who is excused.
Keep your five daily prayers. They come before everything else on this page.
Still learning? Pray what you know, and keep learning.
A fast is more than skipping food. Try not to lie, argue or speak badly of others.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1903
Must, good, and optional
- Fast each day, if you are able
- Pray the five daily prayers
- Make up days you miss, later
- Pay Zakat al-Fitr before the Eid prayer
- Eat suhoor before dawn
- Break the fast on time at sunset
- Pray taraweeh at night
- Read some Qur'an each day
- Give charity, make dua
- Special Ramadan foods
- Lights and decorations
- Reading the whole Qur'an
- I'tikaf in the mosque
- New clothes for Eid
Taraweeh is a sunnah, not a must. Go when you can. If the prayer is long, it is fine to pray part of it and go home.
What a fasting day looks like
- Before dawnWake up and eat suhoor. Drink water. Make the intention in your heart to fast today.
- DawnStop eating and drinking at Fajr time. Pray Fajr.
- The dayGo to work or school as normal. Pray Dhuhr and Asr. Rest if you can.
- SunsetBreak your fast with dates and water. Say the dua for breaking the fast. Pray Maghrib, then eat your meal.
- NightPray Isha. Join taraweeh if you can. Sleep early enough to wake for suhoor.
Your city's times for every day are on our Ramadan 2027 timetables.
Ease in
- Try a practice fast first. Pick a Monday or Thursday in January 2027. You will learn how your body feels.
- Drink water little and often between iftar and suhoor.
- If you eat or drink by mistake, your fast is fine. Stop, and carry on fasting (Sahih al-Bukhari 1933).
- If you feel ill, you may stop and make the day up later. That is part of the religion, not a failure.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, or on medicine, talk to a doctor and a scholar before Ramadan.
- Do not try to do everything. Pick one extra thing, like five pages of Qur'an a day, and keep it.
At work or school
- Tell your manager or teacher that you are fasting for a month. Most people are kind about it.
- Ask to move your lunch break to the end of the day, or to finish earlier.
- Do the hardest tasks in the morning, when you have the most energy.
- If a work event falls at sunset, keep dates and water in your bag for iftar.
- Find a quiet place for Dhuhr and Asr. Many workplaces have a prayer or quiet room.
Family and friends who are not Muslim
- Tell them simply. "I don't eat or drink from dawn to sunset this month. It helps me focus on God and be grateful."
- Family dinners. If dinner is after sunset, eat with them. If it is before, sit with them and eat when the sun sets.
- Invite them to iftar. Many people love sharing the meal at sunset.
- Food. Your food must still be halal: no pork and no alcohol. If you are not sure about the meat, choose fish or vegetables.
- Be gentle. Some people worry when someone they love changes. Kindness answers most worries.
Where to get help
- Your local mosque. Ask if they have a class or a mentor for new Muslims. Many mosques hold free iftars. Find one near you in our mosque directory.
- An imam or teacher. Ask your questions. There are no silly ones.
- A Muslim friend. Ask to join them for suhoor or iftar on your first days.
- The rules. Our fasting rules page explains who is excused and what breaks the fast.
Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith, hoping for Allah's reward, has all their past sins forgiven.
Sahih al-Bukhari 38
Words you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sawm | Fasting |
| Niyyah | Intention, made in the heart |
| Suhoor (sehri) | The meal before dawn |
| Iftar | The meal at sunset that breaks the fast |
| Taraweeh | The long night prayer of Ramadan, after Isha |
| Laylat al-Qadr | The Night of Decree, in the last ten nights. Dates and plan |
| Qada | Making up a missed fast later |
| Fidya | Feeding a poor person for each fast you can never make up |
| Zakat al-Fitr | A small charity for each person, paid before the Eid prayer. Calculator |
| Eid al-Fitr | The day of celebration after Ramadan. No fasting that day. |
More words are in our Islamic glossary.
Questions people ask
Do new Muslims have to fast Ramadan?
Yes, if you have reached puberty, are of sound mind and are able to fast. The same excuses apply to you as to everyone: illness, travel, pregnancy, and others. See the fasting rules page.
I became Muslim during Ramadan. Do I make up the days before?
No. Fast the days that are left from the day you became Muslim. The days before that are not owed.
Do I have to pray taraweeh?
No. Taraweeh is a sunnah, not a must. It is a good thing to join when you can, even for part of the prayer.
What if I get it wrong?
If you eat or drink by mistake, your fast is still valid; carry on (Sahih al-Bukhari 1933). If you break a fast for a real reason, make the day up later. Ask your local imam about anything else.
Can I eat with my non-Muslim family?
Yes, after sunset, as long as the food is halal: no pork and no alcohol. If a family meal is before sunset, you can sit with them and eat when the sun sets.