Ramadan

Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان‎ Ramaḍān, IPA: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn]; variations Persian: Ramazan‎; Urdu: Ramzān; Turkish: Ramazan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Arabic: الله‎, trans: Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the Gregorian calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.

Muslims need more room to worship in Hong Kong

23 Sep 2012

Violence marred the holiday marking the end of Ramadan in Syria last month, and in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region on the mainland, the Uygur minority reported attempts by authorities to prevent...

10:24AM

Legends: kahk

16 Aug 2012

Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, is set to end this weekend. Marking its conclusion is the Eid ul-Fitr holiday.

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Spiritual reflection

8 Aug 2011

Hong Kong's 250,000 Muslims marked the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan with prayers at the Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. The city's largest mosque,...

4:38PM

Time to fast

2 Aug 2011

Muslims yesterday hailed the beginning of Ramadan, a month of fasting, abstinence and prayer. Throughout August, followers of the Islamic faith will not eat, drink, smoke or have sex during...

4:14PM

Talking points

1 Aug 2011

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

Legco examines post-service rules for public servants

4:09PM

Muslims to fast from sunrise to sunset

1 Aug 2011

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts today.

During this month, all Muslims - unless they are ill or travelling - must not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset.

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Opinion

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A dangerous demagogue in our midst

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4:18AM

Jake Van Der Kamp

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4:27AM

Islam's holy month of fasting begins this week

Most Muslims will start a month of fasting this week, but the exact date rests on what the moon does tonight.

3:58PM

A time of faith, family and friendship

When dawn breaks on August 1 this year, Muslims in Hong Kong are set to take part in a month-long ascetic practice that dates back about 1,400 years and marks the holiest time of the year in Islam...

3:45PM

Be fair and make Muslims' Eid festival a public holiday, HK's chief imam urges

The chief imam for Hong Kong, Mufti Muhammad Arshad, wants the Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, to be classed as an official public holiday so Muslims can enjoy one of their important days...

11:18AM

Ramadan

Days without food

Most Chinese festivals mean lots of delicious food. But one important Muslim festival involves not eating food at all - or fasting.

9:21AM

The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad

by Tariq Ramadan

Allen Lane, HK$400

7:19PM

Moon spotting at the mall

At the end of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year, countries all over the Islamic world send out sighting committees to spot the arrival of the new moon which will herald the end of...

9:26PM