25 interesting facts about Ramadan

1. The month of Ramadan is the 9th month of the Hijri calendar.

2. The first revelation was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the month of Ramadan in 610.

3. Fasting was made obligatory upon Muslims in 624, the second year of the Hijra.

4. Since the Hijri calendar is based on a lunar cycle, Ramadan moves forward 10-11 days every year.

5. Fasting during Ramadan in different countries can last from 10 to 22 hours.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) broke his fast with dates and water.

7. It is said that the night of Laylatul Qadr is better than 1000 months (over 83 years) of worship.

8. In 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror conquered Istanbul (Constantinople) during the month of Ramadan.

9. Muhammad (peace be upon him) completed the Quran with Gabriel (peace be upon him) once a year during the month of Ramadan, and twice before his death.

10. The Battle of Badr in 624 AD took place in the month of Ramadan.

11. The conquest of Mecca in 630 AD took place in the month of Ramadan.

12. On 27 Ramadan 1947, Pakistan was declared a state.

13. Muslims give a lot of charity during Ramadan. In 2019, Saudi Arabia donated $90 million.

14. During the Ottoman period, cannons known as Ramadan cannons (iftar cannons) were fired to announce the time for breaking the fast (this tradition still exists in Turkey today).

15. In 1845, the Ottomans first used a telescope to determine the month of Ramadan.

16. The longest fast lasts 20-22 hours in Iceland, Sweden, and Norway.

17. The shortest fasts are in Argentina and South Africa, around 10-11 hours.

18. In 2013, China faced international criticism for banning Muslims from fasting during Ramadan.

19. Cities such as Cairo, Istanbul, and Beirut have a tradition of decorating with special lights - lanterns - during Ramadan.

20. Indonesian Muslims have made it a tradition to spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in mosques.

21. Some countries impose special prohibitions and laws during Ramadan (for example, in Saudi Arabia, eating in the open is prohibited).

22. In Egypt, electricity consumption increased by 12% during Ramadan in 2019, as people stayed home longer in the evening.

23. In 2020, due to the pandemic, restrictions were imposed on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia, and collective Tarawih prayers in mosques were canceled.

24. A large number of people complete the Quran during Ramadan – in 2018, more than 5 million people participated in the recitation of the Quran over 30 days at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

25. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims have preserved various Ramadan traditions as a cultural heritage: in Morocco, there is the music of "Nafira", in Turkey, there are "Saharbonlar" - drummers who wake up for the dawn prayer.