Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year. Siyam or Saum ("fasting" in English) is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam and involves fasting during Ramadan.
Timing
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Because the Islamic calendar has no correction for the fact that the lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons.
2004 – First day: October 15, 2004; last day: November 14, 2004
2005 – First day: October 4, 2005; last day: November 2, 2005
2006 – First day: September 23, 2006; last day October 22, 2006
Who does not observe Ramadan?
There are a number of groups of people who do not need to observe Ramadan, though they may if they wish:
Children before the onset of puberty
Soldiers on the battlefield
Travellers
Weak, elderly, and sick people
Pregnant women, if they feel it might endanger their child
Menstruating women
Women who are breastfeeding babies
What is prohibited?
The prohibitions only extend during daylight hours. Traditionally this begins at dawn from the moment a white line can be seen at the horizon and ends at sunset, when the sun's disk sinks below the local horizon. These times are known as Fajr and Maghrib, respectively.
The following things are forbidden during daylight hours:
Eating and drinking.
Sexual intercourse.
Playing games of chance.
Smoking.
Quarrelling with one another.
Swearing or uttering vulgarities.
