An Introduction to Ramadan and Islam: The 101 You Need
This explainer breaks down both Ramadan and the fundamentals of Islam at a high-level for anyone interested in learning more about their Muslim friends, colleagues, and neighbors.
There is a lot of misinformation, bias and propaganda out there about Muslims, and this write–up and the social media content that I create to support it is my personal effort to show you the beauty of my faith and to combat the lies.
This essay covers:
- A Complete Overview of Ramadan
- What Muslims Believe
- Islam as an Abrahamic Religion
- The Concept of God in Islam
- Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam
- The Components of the Faith: the Quran, the Sunnah, the Hadith
- Six Major Beliefs of Islam
- The Creations of God: Human Beings, the Angels & Jinn
- The Concept of Fitra
- Death and the Afterlife
- Frequently Used Words and Phrases by Muslims
- The Muslim Population in the World
- Islamophobia and The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate
- How to be an Ally to the Muslim Community
During Ramadan 2025 (February 28 — March 29), I am sharing videos about Ramadan, being Muslim, and general information about Islam and vlogs about my days as a Muslim actively fasting and practicing during Ramadan. You can follow along on my Instagram, TikTok and YouTube accounts.
Ramadan 101: A Complete Overview
Ramadan: What it is & Purpose
The holy month of Ramadan started at sunset on the evening of February 28, 2025 in the United States, and it will last for approximately the next 30 days. Ramadan is an observance for roughly a quarter of the world’s population — there are approximately 2 billion Muslims in the world.
Fasting, or Sawm, is one of the five pillars of faith in Islam, and fasting during Ramadan is considered a form of spiritual purification which is enhanced by an increased focus on prayer, charity, and recitation of the Qu’ran, the holy book of Islam.
The purpose of the fasting is to help Muslims refocus on their spirituality and relationship with God, and to be less materialistic and less focused on low vibrational and negative activities such as gossip, pettiness, arguing, etc. This pillar forces us to slow down, gain perspective, and regain a meaningful connection to not only God but also to each other.
Ramadan marks the month in which Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, received his first Quranic revelation from God (Allah). Islam follows a lunar calendar and Ramadan is the ninth month of that calendar. Due to this, Ramadan moves up 10 days every year and has no set Gregorian calendar dates.
The start of Ramadan is based on the first sighting of the waxing crescent after the new moon. Some Muslims began observing Ramadan yesterday at sunset, and some will begin observing it today at sunset. This is because moon-sighting methodology differs, this leads to different sects of the faith and countries declaring the start of Ramadan a day or two apart.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from before sunrise until sunset every single day. During the fast, Muslims abstain from eating food and drinking water (among other activities). Healthy adults who are not pregnant, nursing, ill, traveling or elderly are required to fast from just before sunrise until sunset, abstaining from food and water among other things.
I can attest that by observing this month intentionally, it personally helps me reset a lot of aspects of my life, my routine, how I spend my time to be more intentional and more purposeful. It gives me a lot of perspective.
Meals Times During Ramadan: Suhoor and Iftar
Two key terms to know are suhoor and iftar. Muslims wake up before sunrise to eat suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, and fast until Iftar time when they break their fast.
The Suhoor meal period ends with the Fajr prayer time, and the Iftar breaking of the fast happens when it is time for Maghreb prayer in the evening. For context, in San Francisco on March 1, 2025, suhoor was at 5:29am and iftar is at 6:04pm; the fasts here are 12.5 hours long.
You’re not supposed to overdo it and gorge yourself during Ramadan. The Suhoor meal, also called Sehri in Urdu, could look like a piece of banana bread and an egg with coffee, water, dates, and a spoon of olive oil this morning.
The Iftar meal could look like having some dates and juice to break the fast, praying Maghreb prayer, and then having a dinner of salmon, sweet potato and avocado.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to break his fasts with dates and this custom has been adopted by Muslims, too.
Praying During Ramadan: Taraweeh Prayers
Extra prayers are offered at the end of the night after Isha prayer. Taraweeh prayers are typically offered in congregation at the mosque. They are obligatory, not mandatory, and involve reading long portions of the Quran. Some Muslims attempt to finish a complete recitation of the Quran via Taraweeh prayers during the month of Ramadan.
The Significance of the Last Ten Days of Ramadan
The last ten days are the most important time of this holy month because it’s during this stretch of time that Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, occurs — the anniversary of when the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The exact night is not known but Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had suggested that it’s one of the odd nights in the last ten days.
Laylatul Qadr is considered to be the most important night of the year to Muslims because not only is Allah’s mercy and compassion overflowing and abundant, but also all sins are forgiven and every prayer that is made is accepted.
Muslims are supposed to be focused on the spiritual culmination in the final ten days of Ramadan, and especially focused on prayer and service to humanity.
The Celebration of the Culmination of Ramadan: Eid-ul-Fitr
Eid-ul-Fitr is one of two major holidays that Muslims celebrate every year. The other holiday is Eid-ul-Adha which will be celebrated two months and ten days after Eid-ul-Fitr. Muslims typically begin Eid by going to the mosque in the morning to participate in a communal Eid prayer which is accompanied by a sermon.
Practices differ by culture, and in South Asian culture, we typically buy and wear new clothes on Eid. Adults give kids money, known as Eidi, and families get together for lunch and dinner parties to celebrate.
For some context on how South Asian Muslims in the U.S. celebrate Eid, you can watch this vlog from Eid-ul-Fitr 2024 and this vlog from Eid-ul-Adha 2024.
What Muslims Believe
There are five core pillars of Islam:
Pillar 1: Shahada — Profession of the Faith. This translates to “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” This belief is central to Islam and people convert to Islam by reciting this phrase with conviction.
This statement is the most sacred statement in Islam, and the meaning of the statement is central to the religion. Reciting this statement with complete conviction is what’s required for someone to convert to the religion and become a Muslim.
The Shahada is recited by Muslims multiple times throughout the day in the call to prayer (the Adhan), and within the five daily prayers.
Pillar 2: Salat — Prayer. There are five prescribed daily prayers in Islam:
1) Fajr at dawn
2) Zuhr during midday
3) Asr during mid-afternoon
4) Maghrib at sunset
5) Isha after dark
In addition to the core five prayers, Tahajjud prayer is a special prayer performed after Isha prayer and after midnight, during the last third of the night, before Fajr prayer. This prayer is not mandatory but is recommended and many people focus on performing Tahajjud during Ramadan.
Additionally, Friday is considered a holy day in Islam and Muslims offer a special congregational prayer at midday on Fridays in observance of this which is called Jummah prayer which takes the place of the Zuhr midday prayer.
Jummah is typically observed in a mosque, but in America, there are a lot of makeshift spaces to offer Jummah prayers — many spaces include other places of worship such as churches and other communal spaces. An Imam, a person who leads prayer, typically delivers a sermon and then leads people in congregational prayer for Jummah prayers.
The last Friday in Ramadan is known as Jumma’tul Wida which translates to “gathering of farewell.” This signifies the farewell to the month of fasting.
Muslims physically pray facing the direction of Mecca, Saudi Arabia because that is where our holiest site, the Kaaba is. The Kaaba is considered the House of God by Muslims, and was constructed by Prophet Abraham.
The direction of prayer is known as the qibla in Arabic, and was originally Jerusalem for Muslims. The direction of prayer changed from Jerusalem to Mecca after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received a revelation from God to do so. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, after #1 the Kaaba in Mecca, and #2 the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid al Nabawi) in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Before Muslims pray, they clean themselves via ablution called Wudhu. In general, cleanliness is very important in Islam and also a core part of the practice of being a Muslim. This is the process for wudhu:
- Wash your hands 3x, starting with the right
- Rinse your mouth 3x
- Rinse your nose 3x
- Wash your face 3x
- Wash your arms 3x, starting with the right, from the wrist to the elbow
- Wipe your head
- Wipe your ears
- Wash your feet 3x, starting with the right foot
- Close with a dua (invocation)
The call to prayer, the Adhan, announces each prayer time. In Muslim countries, the Adnan is broadcast from mosques for each of the five daily prayers.
Praying in Islam is an experience of the mind, body, and soul. It is a full body experience that includes specific postures including standing, sitting, and prostrating; and memorized verses from the Quran are recited while Muslims pray.
Prayers are typically offered either at home on a prayer rug in a clean space, or communally at a mosque. Praying in a group is preferred and considered more blessed.
Pillar 3: Zakat — Giving away at least 2.5% of one’s wealth each year to benefit those who are less fortunate is a mandatory part of being a Muslim.
Giving away at least 2.5% of one’s wealth each year to benefit those who are less fortunate is a mandatory part of being a Muslim and considered a religious obligation.
Another form of giving that Muslims participate in is Sadaqah which is the voluntary act of giving out of kindness and generosity; it is not mandatory like Zakat.
Pillar 4: Sawm — Fasting during Ramadan which is addressed in detail above.
Pillar 5: Hajj — the mandatory pilgrimage. An estimated 2 million Muslims travel to Makkah in Saudi Arabia each year at a prescribed time during the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Muslims who are physically and financially able to are required to complete the Hajj pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Hajj happens at a specific time of the year per the Islamic Lunar calendar — in the 12th month during a five day period. In 2025, those dates are June 4–9.
The present pattern of Hajj was established by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and components of Hajj pre-date Islam — dating back to the time of Prophet Abraham.
Umrah is a lesser pilgrimage that also takes place in Mecca and can be undertaken at any time of year. I documented my own Umrah experience in this essay.
When someone returns from completing Hajj or Umrah — fellow Muslims greet them with “Hajj Mubarak” or “Umrah Mubarak” to congratulate them on completing a significant spiritual journey.
Islam is an Abrahamic Religion
Islam is linked closely to both Judaism and Christianity. Muslims refer to both Jewish and Christian people as “people of the book.” This is because all three of these faiths are Abrahamic religions meaning that Prophet Abraham is the common forefather or patriarch of all three religions. All three religions believe in the same God — the God of Abraham.
Prophet Abraham had two sons — Ishmael from his wife Hagar and Isaac from his wife Sarah. Prophet Isaac was the grandfather of the twelve tribes of Israel. Prophet Ishmael is an ancestor of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) — the prophet of Islam.
Muslims accept the teachings of both the Jewish Torah and the Christian Gospels, and many of the same key figures including Prophets Adam, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last and final of the Abrahamic prophets, known as the seal of the prophets.
Allah and The Concept of God in Islam
Allah is what Muslims call the God of Abraham — the same God that Jewish people and Christians worship. Belief in God is the most core aspect of the faith and is what the first pillar of Islam, the Shahada, is based on — “there is no god but God…”
Muslims believe God to be the creator of all things; all powerful, all knowing; and without a gender, body, offspring, or race. For Muslims, this life is about worshiping an all benevolent and merciful God. And Allah is who we turn to in both our lowest and highest points and each time we pray. It is a constant connection.
There are 99 names of Allah which have been shared in the Holy Quran. Each name corresponds to an attribute of God that Muslims are supposed to learn, internalize, and embody.
Some names include:
- Ar-Rahman — the most or entirely merciful
- Ar-Raheem — the bestower of mercy
- Al-Wadood — the most loving
- Al-Muhyee — the giver of life
There’s a well known Hadith on seeking God: “Allah Almighty said: O son of Adam, stand for Me, and I will walk to you. Walk to Me, and I will come running to you.”
The Prophet of Islam: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was born in Mecca in what is now the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 570 AD. From this point onward, I will use “pbuh” as shorthand for “peace be upon him.”
He was an orphan. His father died before he was born, and his mother died shortly after. He was raised by his uncle and grandfather. At the age of 9, he began going on trade trips with his uncle, and met a diverse range of people from all over the world. He became a successful trader, and at the age of 25, his employer, Khadija proposed to him, and they were married. She was 40 at the time, 15 years older than him. She was his first wife and only wife until her death 25 years after their marriage.
At the age of 40, while meditating in the cave of Hira, Prophet Muhammad, pbuh received his first revelation from Allah of the Qu’ran via the Archangel Gabriel (Jibra’il).
Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, died at the age of 63 in Medina, Saudi Arabia, 23 years into his Prophethood in 632 AD. He is buried at Masjid Nabawi, the Prophet’s mosque, in Medina, under a green dome. Pilgrims who perform Hajj and Umrah almost always also visit Medina, which is 434 kilometers away, to visit the Prophet’s mosque.
In Islam, creating a depiction of any Prophet is prohibited because of 1) potential idolatry and 2) not being an accurate depiction (like White Jesus). That’s why in Islamic art, when Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, is depicted, his face is left blank.
For Muslims, Prophet Muhammad is the ultimate example of an ideal Muslim, and we learn from his example so that we can live moral lives, too. Outside of the Muslim Ummah, Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, is frequently referenced as one of the most influential people in history.
The Components of the Faith: the Quran, the Sunnah, the Hadith
The practice and beliefs of Islam are informed by three main sources:
- The Quran — this is the holy book of Islam which is the word of God that was revealed to Prophet Muhmammad pbuh via the Archangel Gabriel over the course of 23 years. The Quran is a universal message, revealed in Arabic, and interpreted and translated into different languages. Most Muslims learn how to read Arabic at some point in their lives (many times as children) so they can read the verses in the holy book as originally revealed. Interpretations can vary depending on who has translated the verses — and being aware of this is essential when reading or taking quotes from a translated version.
- The Sunnah — the way the Prophet pbuh lived and did things; his practice and the examples he set. For instance, despite becoming one of the most powerful men in the world in his time, he lived a very simple life, was not materialistic, did not hoard wealth, and slept on a mat on the floor.
- The Hadith — sayings of the Prophet pbuh or accounts about him. An example of a hadith: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Who among the people has the most right to my good company?” He replied, “Your mother.” The man said, “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” The man said, “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” The man said, “Then who?” He replied, “Then your father.”
Six Major Beliefs in Islam
There are six central beliefs laid out in the Quran (holy book), Sunnah (the traditions and practices of Prophet Muhammad pbuh), and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet pbuh) in Islam:
- Belief in the oneness of God — the creator of all things; all powerful, all knowing; the creator has no gender, no body, no offspring, no race.
- Belief in the angels of God — unseen light beings who worship God and carry out God’s orders throughout the universe.
- Belief in the books of God — these are the holy books revealed to God’s messengers including the Torah (given to Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms (given to David), the Scrolls (given to Abraham), and the Quran (given to Muhammad pbuh).
- Belief in the messengers of God — Twenty-five of these prophets are mentioned by name in the Quran, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad pbuh is the last in this line of prophets, sent for all humankind with the message of Islam.
- Belief in the Day of Judgment — Muslims believe that all people will have to face God and account for their good and bad deeds.
- Belief in the divine decree — everything is governed and predestined by God’s will, but this concept does not negate that human beings are given free will. For example, Muslims believe the date one will die is written by God before we are born.
On this day, Muslims believe that all souls who have lived will be resurrected and will have to face God, and account for their good and bad deeds. The Day of Judgment will determine the path of their afterlife: Heaven/Paradise (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam).
The Day of Judgment occurs after the world ends; when the Earth is destroyed at the end of times. There is a lot of information out there, noted in the Quran and the Hadith on the signs of the end times that you can look up on your own, if interested.
The book of all of one’s deeds will be reviewed by Allah, and if the good deeds outweigh the bad, that soul will go to Heaven. If the bad outweighs the good, that soul will go to Hell. And Hell is a temporary state in Islam; not a permanent state.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once said that all the mercy on Earth equates to just one percent of Allah’s mercy, while the other 99 percent is saved for the Day of Judgment.”
Sources:
Creations of God: Human Beings, the Angels & Jinn
Three of the beings Allah (God) created noted in the Quran and the Hadith are the angels, the jinn, and human beings.
Angels are the servants of God and they were created from light. They do not have free will. Belief in Allah’s angels is a core belief in Islam
Jinn were created from smokeless fire and are creatures that cannot be seen by human beings. They have free will. Satan, the devil (Iblis), was a Jinn that defied God’s command to bow to the creation of Adam, the first human being, and was cast out as a result. This runs contrary to the belief that the devil is a fallen angel.
Human beings were made from clay, and God breathed a soul (Ruh) into Adam, the first human being.
The Concept of Fitra in Islam
The concept of fitra is the innate nature or disposition of human beings.
In Islam, fitra is the innate alignment with the Divine, and the innate disposition to believe in the oneness of God. It’s considered part of the hardwiring we are all born with. It’s a state of purity; like a child’s natural inclination.
Muslims believe that certain influences in the world that we experience throughout our lives are what have the potential to remove us or create distance from that innate goodness and purity.
So essentially, Muslims believe all souls are born pure and good, and it’s not nature, but rather nurture that carries people who do bad things away from their innate goodness.
Source: Secrets of Divine Love by A. Helwa
Death and the Afterlife in Islam
Muslims do believe in an afterlife, and in both Heaven (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam).
Muslims believe that the soul returns to Allah, the one who created it, once our body dies. A common phrase Muslims utter in response to hearing of someone’s death is “inna lillahi wa inna illahe rajaoon” which translates to “Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return.”
This life is considered temporary and life after death is considered eternal. Because one’s afterlife will be determined by the actions taken in this life here on Earth, and we will have to answer for what we did to God on The Day of Judgment; living a life rooted in good deeds, honesty, charity, humility and connection to Allah is the goal of every Muslim.
Heaven/Jannah/Paradise and it is described at length in the Quran as a beautiful and eternal paradise. Hell/Jahannam is described often with associations with fire and torment. While interpretations differ, many believe that Hell is temporary for some and a permanent state for others; a place for purification for those souls to eventually enter Heaven.
Source: Secrets of Divine Love by A. Helwa
Frequently Used Words and Phrases by Muslims
- The main greeting is “asalam-o-alaikum” which means “peace be upon you.” This is basically how Muslims say “hello” to each other.
- The reply to “asalam-o-alaikum” is “walaikum-a-salaam” which means “and peace be upon you.”
- “Salam” is the shorthand greeting and translates literally to “peace.”
- “Islam” itself means “submission to the will of God” and “Muslim” translates to “one who submits”
- “Allah” — God
- “Alhumdulillah” — praise be to Allah — use: “everything in life is going well, alhumdulillah.”
- “Inshallah” — if Allah wills it — use: “I’m planning to go to New York for my birthday, inshallah”
- “Mashallah” — Allah has willed it — use: “your baby is beautiful, mashallah”
- Greetings for Ramadan: “Ramadan Mubarak!,” “Ramadan Kareem!”
- Greetings for Jummah: “Jummah Mubarak!”
- Greetings for Eid: “Eid Mubarak!”
The Muslim Population in the World
Muslims represent the most racially and ethnically diverse religious group in the world. Islam is practiced by nearly 2 billion people or one quarter (~24%) of the world’s population. And it is set to become the world’s largest religion by 2075.
- South Asia has the largest Muslim population in the world — approximately one-third (650+ million) of all Muslims globally.
- West Asia (“Middle East”) and North Africa host 23% (315 million) of the world’s Muslims.
- 15% of Muslims (241 million) live in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Islam is the second-largest religion in Western Europe and represents ~6% of the population (24 million).
And there are sizable Muslims communities in the Americas, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.
In the United States, the Muslim population is estimated to be ~4.5 million people, and it is a rapidly growing segment of the population — projected to become the second largest religion in the U.S. by 2040.
Islamophobia, Bias, Discrimination, and The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate
Research has conclusively found that Muslims are negatively portrayed in American media. Every component of society delivers the message that Muslims are barbaric, “the other,” and terrorists. Bias in media, entertainment and politics all play a role in creating this association — and this directly translates into Islamophobia that suffocates us in our day-to-day lives.
As a result of these constant messages, biases and stereotypes about Muslims are so deeply rooted in people’s minds that Islamophobia does not register for many and people believe these biases to be fact.
In April 2024, CAIR (the Council on American Islamic Relations), the largest Muslim advocacy organization in the U.S., released a report called ‘The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate.’ The report documents that 2023 was the worst in terms of anti-Muslim bias in the organization’s 28 year history.
CAIR received 8,061 total complaints nationwide in 2023, up 56% from 2022, an even higher spike than after Trump’s Muslim Ban. Nearly half of all complaints received were reported in the final three months of 2023, surging as a result of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The most common complaints were:
- 20%: immigration and asylum
- 15%: employment discrimination
- 8.5%: education discrimination
- 7.5%: hate crimes and incidents
Additionally, employers, universities, and schools were identified as “the primary actors suppressing free speech by those who sought to oppose Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza and call attention to Palestinian human rights.” People were fired from their jobs, and employers threatened not to hire students expressive of their views.
Observances: March 15th is the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
How to be an Ally to the Muslim Community
Anti-Muslim hate is at an all-time high in the United States right now. This is what can you do about it:
1) Practice critical thinking and media literacy. That begins with understanding that the Western media, entertainment, political, and educational ecosystems are very biased against Muslims.
Research has conclusively found this by analyzing media reports and a study of Muslim characters in U.S. films. Realize that negative and false tropes and stereotypes are fed to us in what we read and watch everyday and question it. Portraying Muslims as inherently violent or barbaric or Islam as a violent religion are all biased, imperialist stereotypes and tropes.
The reality is that the overwhelming majority of terrorism in the U.S. is carried out by white men; but what comes to your mind when I use the word “terrorist”? That’s because that word is a slur used against Muslim people. Please admit your own biases to yourself and work on addressing them.
2) Make an effort to learn, include, humanize, and champion. This doesn’t happen overnight and it should be demonstrated beyond performative actions and words.
Are you actually making an effort to learn about people different from you or is the truth that you are just OK if we simply exist beside you while you stay within the comfort of your own ignorance about us and our way of life?
It’s not enough to simply have a Muslim friend or friends and to tokenize them; what do you know about them and their core beliefs, how they live their lives, and their respective cultures? Do you use your voice when their communities are impacted, as they are now? If not, what’s keeping you quiet?
Ask questions, visit a mosque — we’re not going to try to convert you, and we appreciate when people of other faiths and belief systems show an interest.
Trust me, any Muslim space you enter you will find to be a warm and welcoming space.
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If you have read until this point — thank you. I hope that you learned something new and appreciate your interest in understanding your Muslim friends and neighbors. — Nadia
