Ramadan

In a few hours, Ramadan will start.

Ramadan is the month in the Islamic calendar in which the Prophet Mohamed received his visions from the angel Gabriel, which are written in the Qur'an. During this time, muslims fast from sun-up till sun-down. They will wake up around 4:30 every morning to eat before the sunrise. The rest of the day, they don't eat or drink anything. Once the sun has gone down, they will gather with family and friends to break the fast for the evening. In Bahrain, it is against the law to eat or drink in public. Restaurants are closed until nighttime, but are open all night.

The fasting is a tangible way to cleanse the body, and an act in which Muslims seek to become closer to God and to know His will.

Typically, school goes from 7am till 3pm. During Ramadan, school will only go from 8am till 1pm. Most students will be tired and worn out from the fasting and late nights, as will many teachers.

Ramadan ends in mid-October with the Eid ul-Fitr festival (and marks the beginning of the following month).