By Rania Tazi
By Rania Tazi
Rabat – Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, consists of fasting from dawn to sunset. For any healthy Muslim who is not pregnant or travelling, observing the month of Ramadan is mandatory. The holy month of fasting, prayer and spiritual purification is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
The duration of the daily fast depends on the amount of hours between sunrise and sunset, which is affected by which season Ramadan falls on. During summer months, those observing the month of Ramadan have to fast longer hours due to the longer days, which vary in length depending on the country they live in. In addition to the longer summer days, Muslims living in arid desert climates experience blazing temperatures.
Europe
This year, Nordic countries will have the longest fasting days; Denmark will have 21 hours of fasting, and Sweden, Iceland and Norway 20 hours of fasting.
Muslims in the Netherlands and Belgium will fast for 18 hours, while those observing Ramadan in Spain and Germany will fast for 16 hours..
Middle East and North Africa
The Middle East and North Africa region will experience fasting hours slightly shorter than those in Europe. Fasting will occur for 14 hours in Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Sudan and for 15 hours in the U.A.E and Saudi Arabia
Asia and Australia
In Asia, most Muslims will fast for 14-16 hours. Pakistan and Bangladesh will fast for 15 hours, while India will fast for 14.
Australia’s period of fasting is only shorter side, lasting 11 hours.
North/South America
Muslims in the United States and Canada will fast for 16 to 19 hours, depending on the exact location. Muslims in Brazil will fast for 11 hours, and those in Argentina will fast for nine hours and thirty minutes, the shortest fasting time this Ramadan.
