Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is regarded as the holiest month of the year as it was the month in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) on the night of Laylat Al Qadr, one of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of piety, charity and blessings. During Ramadan, capable Muslims are required to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Such fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Like other months, Ramadan too begins at the first sighting of the new crescent moon and lasts 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the next crescent. The UAE follows an official announcement in this regard from the moon-sighting committee in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Makkah is considered the holiest city in the Islamic world. It is the birthplace of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and also the location where he had his first revelation of the Quran.

The Islamic calendar has 354 days. Hence, Ramadan arrives 11 days earlier in every subsequent year of the Gregorian calendar. People greet each other by saying 'Ramadan Kareem', which means 'Happy Ramadan'.