RAMADHAN KAREEM
Here's what you need to know about the Islamic holy month
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Muslims around the globe will begin observing the holy month of Ramadan, a period of deep spiritual reflection and celebration, in coming days.
Ramadan will see Muslims abstain from food during daylight hours and pray before breaking their fast at sundown alongside family and friends.
Here's a look at when the holy month begins, the importance of fasting, and why the date changes from one year to another.
When does Ramadan end?
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Lasting for 29 or 30 days, Ramadan 2025 will end around March 30, with the celebratory days of Eid al-Fitr estimated to start around 30 March, again with a possible difference of a couple of days.
What is Ramadan?
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Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for Muslims.
It remembers the month the Qur'an was first revealed to the prophet Mohammed.
During its 29 to 30 days, Muslims abstain from food and drink, including water, every day from dawn to sunset.
When the sun sets, adherents to the faith break their fast with a communal meal called Iftar, usually with family or friends.
The fast is traditionally broken by eating dates, to emulate how the prophet Mohammed broke his fast.
During Ramadan, Muslims are also encouraged to do good deeds and abstain from sinful acts, while refecting on their faith and developing positive habits to be brought forward when the holy month ends.
Why do Muslims fast during Ramadan?
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The practice of fasting during Ramadan serves spiritual and social purposes.
According to Islamic Relief Australia, Muslims believe Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the prophet Mohammed more than 1,400 years ago.
The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations to achieve greater "taqwa", or consciousness of God.
It is one of the five pillars of Islam.
When is Eid al-Fitr?
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Eid al-Fitr or the "festival of breaking the fast" marks the end of Ramadan.
It is likely to take place on the evening of Sunday, March 30 depending on the sighting of the moon.
It is celebrated as a time for family and friends to come together with communal prayer, gift-giving and dressing in new clothes.
Eid al-Fitr happens in the first three days of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic Calendar.
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🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
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Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
Christmas gifts stolen from parked car prompts warning over holiday break-ins
An Auckland man whose Christmas presents were stolen from his car on a quiet street is warning others not to repeat his mistake.
Police and the AA say opportunistic thieves are breaking into cars more frequently during the Christmas period.
Jeremy Rees, an RNZ staff member in Auckland, had packed his car full of gifts when he decided to visit a friend.
“Everyone had handed over presents and we had a couple of bags full of presents sitting in the back of the car,” he said.
“I decided it would be great to go around and see a friend, drop off some presents and say hello. My wife said to me, ‘Are you sure we should be taking this car?’ I said, ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine’.
“I think it was only 20 minutes outside their house, a very quiet street. It was light [outside]. We came out and my wife pointed out that someone had smashed the rear window, reached in and grabbed the presents, and headed away.
“It was a shock. It was a shock partly because of the Christmas presents and partly because my wife had been telling me, ‘Don’t do that’.”
AA Insurance head of motor claims Beau Paparoa said roadside staff were responding to smashed windows more often.
“We definitely see car break-ins starting to occur a lot more around this time of year. We’re often hearing from customers and some of our roadside teams that there’s definitely a bit more opportunistic theft happening,” he said.
“We’re putting that down to it being a busy time of year. Everyone’s out doing their Christmas shopping and there’s much more presence of gifts and valuables being visible in the car.”
He encouraged people to be careful and make sure valuables were hidden from view.
“In terms of any valuables, if you’ve done some Christmas shopping, or if generally you’ve got valuables in your car, try [to] keep them locked away or out of sight – in your boot if you can,” he said.
“Where you’re parking is possibly a good thing to think about. If you can afford to, don’t park on the street, but if you have to park on-street, make sure you park in well-lit areas.”
Police said it was not uncommon for Christmas presents to be stolen.
“The key is to remove any opportunity. This includes taking valuables or documents out of vehicles wherever possible,” a spokesperson said.
Rees said he wished he had followed that advice.
“I feel a bit stupid, to be absolutely honest. I read all of the things from police saying ‘don’t do this, don’t pack your car, don’t just leave it on the street’, and I did exactly the opposite and I paid the price.”
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