Ramadan is the holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection for Muslims, during which they are expected to fast every day from dawn to sunset. This year Ramadan began on April 12 and is currently expected to end on May 11.
In addition to fasting, prayer is also among the five pillars of Islam and Muslims are required to pray five times a day.
The names of each of these prayers are related to the time of day they take place, which is based on the positioning of the sun.
The five ritual prayers are known as Fajr (dawn), Zuhr (afternoon), Asr (late afternoon), Maghrib (just after sunset) and Isha (night).
Fasting and prayer times can differ by country. Further below is a listing of times in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) in New York for April 13, 2021 outlined by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). The timings are published on the Al Adhan Service website via the Islamic Network, a network of free digital Islamic services.
The exact times for each day of Ramadan differ by a few minutes each day. See a full calendar of daily times for prayer, sunset, sunrise as well as Imsak, which marks the start of the daily fast during Ramadan, at the Al Adhan Service website. Users can enter their city and country at the website to get exact times for their location.
Ramadan 2021 Prayer Times
- Fajr (dawn) - 5:00 (EDT)
- Sunrise - 6:20 a.m. (EDT)
- Zuhr (afternoon) - 12:56 p.m. (EDT)
- Asr (late afternoon) - 4:39 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunset - 7:34 p.m. (EDT)
- Maghrib (just after sunset) - 7:34 p.m. (EDT)
- Isha (night) - 8:53 p.m. (EDT)
- Imsak - 4:50 a.m. (EDT)
The ISNA explains: "Each day before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, the Fajr prayer. At sunset, families hasten for the fast-breaking meal known as iftar."
Suhoor meals can range from leftovers from the previous night's iftar meal to typical breakfast or ethnic foods.
In the evening, some dates are usually the first foods to break the daily fast. After then, "Muslims generally adjourn for the Maghrib prayer, the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served," ISNA says.
Iftar meals often showcase traditional dishes and desserts, including ones only made during Ramadan.
"Over time, iftar has grown into banquet festivals. This is a time of fellowship with families, friends and surrounding communities," the ISNA says.
In addition to fasting and prayer, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Koran during Ramadan.
"Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Quran [Koran] by means of special prayers, called Tarawih. These voluntary prayers are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Quran," according to the ISNA.
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