Two billion Muslims around the world will be celebrating Ramadan tonight beginning with the sighting of the crescent moon.
The one-month period is one of spiritual connection. Those who observe, fast during the day until sundown.
Newsweek reports it is a time of spiritual connection and reflection.
The day ends with Iftar when family and friends share an evening meal.
According to History.com, Indonesia has the largest number of followers in the Islamic faith.
Arab American News says the prophets revealed all their holy books during this month- the Torah, Zabur and Injil.
This is what AsAmNews reporter Ahmed Sharma wrote last year about greeting people during Ramadan:
Ramadan can be a very unifying time for Muslims, as strangers become familial through faith as they congregate at the mosque for evening prayers and break their fasts. So it’s not uncommon for people to give one another the greeting,” Ramadan Mubarak.”
“It means ‘Blessed Ramadan,’ and you can respond by saying ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ right back some say ‘Ramadan Kareem,’” Imam Muhammad explained. “It is just a way that we greet each other, and we still say Assalam Alaykum (peace be upon you) also during the month of Ramadan, but it is just to remind each other.”
If you’re not Muslim, you’re fine just saying, “Happy Ramadan” to your friends or colleagues.
You can read Sharma’s entire primer on Ramadan here.
Happy Ramadan.
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