Ramadan Guide | Home | Michigan State University

Many MSU students and employees observe the month-long fast of Ramadan. In 2027, Ramadan will begin at sunset on February 7th, give or take a day (depending on when the new moon is sighted).

As we work toward promoting a more inclusive Spartan community, here are some facts to consider:

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is widely considered the month in which the Qur’an (Koran), the Islamic holy book, was first revealed.
Ramadan begins at sunset following the sighting of the new moon, and lasts 29 or 30 days.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of Islam. The Qur’an (2:183) states that fasting was prescribed so that believers may attain God consciousness. Accordingly, Ramadan is widely regarded as a month of spiritual growth.
Practicing Muslims who are able to are expected to abstain from eating, drinking (including water), and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month. Many Muslims will also perform various prayers and acts of devotion, especially at night, sometimes past midnight. And as many adherents also wake up early for predawn meals, they may experience not just hunger and thirst but also fatigue.
Those who are ill, traveling, or unable to fast for other reasons are exempt from the Ramadan fast. Those who are able to do so are expected to make up the missed days at a later time.
The end of Ramadan is marked by the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr (“the festival of the breaking of the fast”), which begins at sunset. Eid al-Fitr is one of the two major Islamic holidays - the other being Eid al-Adha (“the festival of sacrifice”), which overlaps with the annual Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Questions? Please feel free to contact Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Director of the Muslim Studies Program and Professor of Religious Studies at Michigan State University.

Many MSU students and employees observe the month-long fast of Ramadan. In 2027, Ramadan will begin at sunset on February 7th, give or take a day (depending on when the new moon is sighted).

As we work toward promoting a more inclusive Spartan community, here are some facts to consider:

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is widely considered the month in which the Qur’an (Koran), the Islamic holy book, was first revealed.
Ramadan begins at sunset following the sighting of the new moon, and lasts 29 or 30 days.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of Islam. The Qur’an (2:183) states that fasting was prescribed so that believers may attain God consciousness. Accordingly, Ramadan is widely regarded as a month of spiritual growth.
Practicing Muslims who are able to are expected to abstain from eating, drinking (including water), and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month. Many Muslims will also perform various prayers and acts of devotion, especially at night, sometimes past midnight. And as many adherents also wake up early for predawn meals, they may experience not just hunger and thirst but also fatigue.
Those who are ill, traveling, or unable to fast for other reasons are exempt from the Ramadan fast. Those who are able to do so are expected to make up the missed days at a later time.
The end of Ramadan is marked by the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr (“the festival of the breaking of the fast”), which begins at sunset. Eid al-Fitr is one of the two major Islamic holidays - the other being Eid al-Adha (“the festival of sacrifice”), which overlaps with the annual Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).