Europe 1 6:00 p.m., February 17, 2024
Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, is scheduled to begin this Monday, March 11. Millions of French people will fast for around a month. But what is the significance of this important moment in the Muslim religion? What are the rules? Europe 1 takes stock.
The beginning of a sacred time. Ramadan 2024 should begin on Monday March 11 and end on April 9 according to several Muslim federations. By fasting and commemorating important events in the history of Islam, Muslims in France and around the world will be able to respect one of the five obligatory pillars of their religion. Europe 1 explains what you need to know about this fundamental practice of Islam.
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Ramadan, the name of a sacred month
Ramadan is not the name of a religious festival, but that of the ninth month of the year in the Muslim calendar. Its name comes from a Semitic root, meaning “summer heat”. Lasting 29 or 30 days, it is a sacred month in Islam. It is in fact one of the five “pillars” of this religion, that is to say its fundamental rules, with the profession of faith, the five daily prayers, alms to the poor and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The month of Ramadan is also considered that of charity, because on its last day, practicing Muslims must give charity (zakât al-fitr).
Finally, this month concentrates a significant number of commemorations around events in the history of Islam, such as the Night of Destiny (Laylat al-Qadr) during which Mohammed received the Koran or the battle of Badr which allowed for the prophet of Islam to impose himself in Mecca. In the early days of Islam, however, Muslims fasted at the same time as Jews on Yom Kippur. But Mohammed, in order to better distinguish his emerging religion, decided to choose another time of the year and to tighten the rules.
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The Moon as master of ceremonies
The Muslim calendar being lunar unlike the Latin calendar, the start of the month of Ramadan changes depending on the year. The tradition, followed by the Grand Mosque of Paris, is therefore based on the observation of the Moon to determine the start of the fast, and this, in respect of a word attributed to Mohammed: "do not fast until you see the crescent lunar and break your fast when you see it too.
The start date of Ramadan is fixed by the sighting of the moon. If on the evening of March 11, the first quarter of the Moon appears clearly in the sky, Ramadan will begin on March 12. In the event of overcast skies, Ramadan begins according to astronomical calculations, as happened in Saudi Arabia in 2017. Theologians, scholars and religious people will also meet in the rest of the world to set the precise time, which varies depending on the location of the globe.
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Essentially a fast, but not only
During Ramadan, believers are invited to abstain from drinking and eating, from dawn (as soon as one can “distinguish a white thread from a black thread” says the Koran) until sunset . The day therefore begins with a meal and a first prayer just before sunrise and ends in the evening with a fast-breaking meal (iftar), often taken with family or at the mosque. One tradition is that believing Muslims break the fast with a date and a glass of milk.
But this sacred month of Islam does not stop at a simple fast. Smoking and having sex are also prohibited during the day. Believing Muslims must also put meaning behind these deprivations, which lose their force if they are observed mechanically.
In a quest for asceticism and purification, Ramadan is also an opportunity for the faithful to meditate on the Koran, they can thus participate in prayer vigils. Some theologians even advise reciting the entirety of this holy book during the month, at the rate of one thirtieth per evening. It is also a period when large donations are made to mosques and prayer rooms for poor people. The faithful are invited more generally to demonstrate love and altruism towards their neighbors.
Around 5 to 6 million people affected in France
According to an Ifop study for "Le Point" and the Jean Jaurès Foundation, 66% of Muslims declare having respected the Ramadan fast in 2019. This figure is relatively stable - it fluctuates between 66 and 70% - since 2001. However, Islamic rules provide for exceptions. For example, respecting fasting only concerns people who have passed puberty. However, it is recommended that children get used to it gradually.
Pregnant women or those who have just given birth, wet nurses, elderly and weak people, sick people, long-distance travelers and soldiers have the right not to observe the fast. Menstruating women can also resume eating during the day, but must make up for their missed fasting days before the next Ramadan.