The complete Ramadan 2026 guide

1. What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the hijri calendar, the month of the obligatory fast (sawm) and the fourth pillar of Islam. Allah says in the Qur'an:

“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance for the people, with clear proofs of guidance and the criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it.”

— Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqara (2), verse 185

Fasting means abstaining from food, drink and intimacy from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib). It is an exercise in self-mastery, in compassion for those in need, and in drawing near to Allah.

2. The essential rules of fasting

Conditions that make the fast obligatory

• Being Muslim
• Being of sound mind
• Having reached puberty
• Being physically able
• Being resident (not travelling) and not exempt

What breaks the fast

• • Eating or drinking deliberately
• • Intimacy during the day
• • Vomiting deliberately
• • Menstruation and post-natal bleeding
• • Withdrawing the intention to fast

What does NOT break the fast

• • Eating or drinking by forgetfulness
• • An involuntary nocturnal emission
• • Tasting food with the tongue (without swallowing)
• • Brushing the teeth (with care)
• • Non-nutritive injections (medication)
• • Giving blood (disliked if it weakens you)

Those exempt

The sick and travellers make the days up later. The elderly and those with chronic illness compensate with the fidya (feeding a poor person for each day, about €5-7).

3. An ideal daily plan

4. Suhur & Iftar: eating well without overloading

Suhur: energy for the whole day

• • Complex carbohydrates: oats, wholemeal bread, wholemeal couscous (they release energy slowly)
• • Protein: eggs, Greek yoghurt, fromage blanc
• • Good fats: avocado, almonds, olive oil
• • Hydration: 500-750 ml of water, and avoid tea and coffee (diuretics)
• • To avoid: fast sugars, fried food, very salty dishes (they make you thirsty)

Iftar: breaking the fast wisely

• • Start with three dates and warm water (the prophetic Sunnah: quick glucose without a shock)
• • Pray Maghrib BEFORE the main meal
• • Then return to the table: a light soup (harira, chorba), lean protein, vegetables
• • Favour slow chewing — the stomach has been empty for fifteen hours or more
• • Between Iftar and Tarawih: a light snack (fruit, dairy) rather than a second heavy dish

5. Spiritual goals: a SMART Ramadan

The month goes quickly. Without concrete goals, the thirtieth day arrives with no real progress. Here is a proven frame:

6. Laylat al-Qadr — the Night of Decree

Laylat al-Qadr is the most blessed night of the year. The Qur'an says: “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months” (97:3) — the equivalent of eighty-three years of worship in a single night.

It falls in the last ten nights of Ramadan, probably on one of the odd nights (21, 23, 25, 27, 29). The majority tradition places it on the 27th night, but the Prophet ﷺ encouraged seeking it on every odd night.

The supplication he taught Aisha (r.a.):

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allahumma innaka ʿafuwwun tuhibbul-ʿafwa faʿfu ʿanni

“O Allah, You are Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.”

— Tirmidhi 3513

7. The seven pitfalls to avoid

1. 1
   Turning Ramadan into a “month of cooking”

   Spending four hours a day in the kitchen on heavy dishes. The point is the opposite: eat simply, and free up time for worship.
2. 2
   Sleeping all day

   Inverting your rhythm by sleeping from Fajr to Asr empties the fast of its meaning. Fasting is active training.
3. 3
   Breaking the fast to excess

   Three courses, desserts and sugary drinks at Iftar make you ill and destroy your concentration for Tarawih.
4. 4
   Forgetting the Qur'an

   Without a complete reading (khatm), you miss the essence of the month: “Ramadan, the month of the Qur'an”. Set one juz' a day (20 pages).
5. 5
   Anger, backbiting, quarrelling

   “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need of him giving up his food and drink.” (Bukhari 6057)
6. 6
   Neglecting the last ten nights

   That is where Laylat al-Qadr hides. Many ease off at the end of the month: exactly the opposite of what is needed.
7. 7
   Not planning for Eid al-Fitr

   Zakat al-Fitr must be paid BEFORE the Eid prayer. Do not leave it to the last day.

8. A preparation checklist