An exhausting process at best, the prolonged period of abstinence can also be confusing, because fasting hours are based on sunrise and sunset and thus change every day as Ramadan progresses. This means that this year’s fasting period will grow every day, with the days gradually lengthening as summer approaches. The following are basic dates and a guide to fasting hours for believers throughout the UK during the holy month.
When does Ramadan 2022 start?
Like other Muslim holidays, the Ramadan festival is based on the lunar calendar, which means that its place in the most widely used Gregorian calendar is shifting slightly. As the Muslim Aid charity explains: “The Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon, commonly known as the lunar cycle. As a result, the holy month of Ramadan falls about 10 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. “ The month begins with the sighting of the crescent, which generally appears one night after the new moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to begin on Saturday, April 2, although it could come a day later if the moon is not visible. It lasts between 29 and 30 days, until the sighting of the next crescent marks the end of the holy month and the arrival of Saul, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar Hijri. Indonesia Muslims prepare food before fasting in 2016 (Photo: Getty Images)
When are Suhoor and Iftar?
During Ramadan, Salat (daily prayers) become increasingly important, both because the holy month is considered a time of reflection and purification and because they shape the hours of fasting.
The Salat
Fajr: observed before sunrise Zuhr: observed in the afternoon Asr: observed late in the afternoon Maghrib: observed after sunset Isha: observed at night
Every day of Ramadan, Muslims eat the pre-fasting meal called Sahoor, which is taken before sunrise and culminates with the first prayer of the day, the Fajr. The fast is not interrupted until sunset with the Iftar meal, which precedes the Maghrib, the fourth prayer of the day. As the days gradually increase, the period of fasting gradually becomes more difficult as pilgrims near the end of the holy month and the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. But while the fast will be almost two hours longer at the end of this Ramadan than its first day, there is consolation that it falls almost two weeks earlier than last year’s festival, resulting in shorter days.
Ramadan 2022 schedule for the United Kingdom
Both the Central London Mosque and the East London Mosque have drawn up Ramadan schedules, which provide worshipers in the capital with all the information they need to observe fasting properly. Here are the day-to-day times for Fajr and the Maghrib – when fasting begins and ends – in London for the Muslim holy month. The start and end dates depend on the sighting of the Moon, which means when Ramadan begins, which this year was expected to be on Monday 12 April, while the timings apply to London:
Saturday, April 2: 4.59 a.m., 7.38 p.m. Sun April 3: 4.57 a.m., 7.40 p.m. Monday, April 4: 4.55 a.m., 7.42 p.m. Tuesday 5 April: 4.52 a.m., 7.44 p.m. Wed. April 6: 4.50 a.m., 7.45 p.m. Thursday, April 7: 4.48 a.m., 7.47 p.m. Fri April 8: 4.46 a.m., 7.49 p.m. Saturday, April 9: 4.43 a.m., 7.50 p.m. Sun April 10: 4.41 a.m., 7.52 p.m. Monday, April 11: 4.39 a.m., 7.54 p.m. Tuesday 12 April: 4.37 a.m., 7.55 p.m. Wed. April 13: 4.35 a.m., 7.57 p.m. Thursday, April 14: 4.32 a.m., 7.59 p.m. Fri April 15: 4.30 am, 8.00 pm Saturday, April 16: 4:28 a.m., 8:02 p.m. Sun 17 April: 4.26 a.m., 8.04 p.m. Monday 18 April: 4.23 a.m., 8.05 p.m. Tuesday 19 April: 4.21 am, 8.07 pm Wed. April 20: 4.19 a.m., 8.09 p.m. Thursday, April 21: 4.16 a.m., 8.10 p.m. Fri April 22: 4.14 a.m., 8.12 p.m. Saturday, April 23: 4.11 a.m., 8.14 p.m. Sun April 24: 4.08 a.m., 8.15 p.m. Monday 25 April: 4.06 am, 8.17 pm Tuesday 26 April: 4.04 a.m., 8.19 p.m. Wed 27 April: 4.01 am, 8.20 pm Thursday, April 28: 4:00 a.m., 8:22 p.m. Fri April 29: 3.58 a.m., 8.24 p.m. Saturday, April 30: 3.55 a.m., 8.25 p.m. Sun May 1: 3.52 a.m., 8.27 p.m.
Due to the different hours of sunrise and sunset in the rest of the UK, it should be noted that there are variations in the schedule depending on the location. Fortunately, the Muslim Hands charity offers the following handy guide to customizing your fasting schedule for where you are:
Variations in the UK relative to London (Time Fast Begins, Time Fast Ends) Birmingham: (8 minutes later, 6 minutes later) Bradford: (9 minutes later, 8 minutes later) Cardiff: (13 minutes later, 12 minutes later) Glasgow: (22 minutes later, 40 minutes later) Leeds: (7 minutes later, 4 minutes later) Liverpool: (12 minutes later, 9 minutes later) Manchester: (10 minutes later, 7 minutes later) Middlesbrough: (8 minutes later, 14 minutes later)
More about Ramadan
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and marks the time when the Qur’an is said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by God with a one-month fast. Muslims are required to spend a period of 30 days abstaining from food and drink, including water, during the day, as a means of celebrating and reflecting on their faith. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam – the fundamental rules that all Muslims follow – along with the Sahada (declaration of faith), the Salat (prayer), the Zakat (charity) and the Hajj pilgrimage. During Ramadan, there is an increased offering of Salat, with Muslims thanking Allah, while the ritual of fasting allows them to understand the sufferings of others. Those who fast are encouraged to read the Qur’an and the holy text is recited in Tarawih, special night prayers that take place throughout the month. Ramadan literally means “hot heat” in Arabic and marks the month in which the Qur’an is said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by God through the archangel Gabriel in 610 AD.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2022?
Ramadan is expected to end on Sunday, May 1, which means that Eid al-Fitr follows on Sunday, May 2. Eid al-Fitr’s name comes from an Arabic term that translates as “the feast of the abolition of fasting” and, although not an official holiday in the United Kingdom, is for many Muslim countries. In normal years, it is traditional for Muslims to gather in a park to celebrate their fast, with large-scale events and festive food (especially sweet treats), prayers and benches. After Eid, some Muslims decide to fast for the next six days. This stems from the Islamic belief that a good deed in Islam is rewarded 10 times, so fasting for 30 days during Ramadan and six days during Shawwal creates a good will for a year.
