Ramadan is a festive and holy time in Islam, meant for togetherness and group. There are practically 2 billion Muslims worldwide, and 98% of them have a good time Ramadan. For some Muslim college students, nonetheless, this time can generally be lonely or isolating, particularly if they’re a small minority. Happily, there are just a few easy issues lecturers can do to help college students throughout Ramadan. Right here’s what it’s good to know, plus assets that can assist you alongside the way in which.
What Lecturers Ought to Know About Ramadan
These continuously requested questions and solutions about Ramadan provide data to assist non-Muslim educators perceive the fundamentals of the vacation.
When does Ramadan 2026 start?
This yr, Ramadan is anticipated to start the night of Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
The official begin and finish relies on the sighting of the primary crescent moon (hilāl) of the ninth Islamic month, which normally falls on the primary evening after a brand new moon. Nevertheless, many observant Muslims choose to attend till the precise official sighting of the crescent moon itself, and that may generally fluctuate.
Relying on the choice of their native mosques, not all Muslims start observing Ramadan at precisely the identical time. Be ready for the vacation to start across the center of February, and know that it’s attainable that some Muslims will start observing somewhat sooner than others. Observe their lead as you help college students throughout Ramadan.
How lengthy is Ramadan, and when does it finish in 2026?
Ramadan lasts a full month, from the sighting of 1 crescent moon to the subsequent. Count on Ramadan to finish round March 19, 2026.
Do all Muslims quick throughout Ramadan?
All grownup Muslims* are required to quick, which incorporates anybody who has reached the age of puberty. Some youthful youngsters additionally take part.
An important a part of Ramadan is fasting, one of many 5 Pillars of Islam. Muslims are anticipated to quick from daybreak to sundown throughout this time. This contains anybody who has reached puberty, however some youthful youngsters additionally select to take part, generally for under half a day. Which means lecturers might must help Muslim college students’ dietary decisions throughout Ramadan of their lecture rooms.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims start their day with a predawn meal known as suhur. As soon as the solar rises, they aren’t allowed to eat or drink something, together with water. After the solar units, they break their quick with a celebratory meal known as iftar, usually begun by consuming dates. Lecturers overseeing actions earlier than or after faculty ought to guarantee Muslim college students have the chance to partake of those meals. Older college students might proceed their quick, even when they’ve a sporting occasion and can want a possibility to interrupt their quick with water and a lightweight snack.
*There are exceptions to this expectation for individuals who are in poor health, aged, touring, diabetic, or pregnant or breastfeeding, and different legitimate issues. Study extra right here.
What different traditions do Muslims observe throughout Ramadan?
Prayer, studying the Quran, duas (supplications made by Muslims to ask Allah for assist, forgiveness, and mercy), volunteering, charitable acts, and ethical conduct are particularly essential throughout this time.
It is a time put aside for reflection and contemplation of their non secular beliefs. Muslims might pray extra usually, particularly throughout instances when others could also be consuming. Many additionally select to learn or recite your complete Quran through the month.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims imagine all of their actions are amplified within the eyes of Allah. Along with refraining from consuming or ingesting throughout daylight, fasting additionally means avoiding unkind acts. Charitable acts are frequent, via monetary giving or different actions. Assist Muslim college students throughout Ramadan by recognizing their type and charitable acts out and in of the classroom.
What’s Eid al-Fitr?
When Ramadan attracts to a detailed, Muslims have a good time the three-day vacation of Eid al-Fitr. It contains feasts, particular prayers, communal gatherings, decorations, and sometimes cash or small presents for youngsters. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time, when Muslims take pleasure in breaking their lengthy quick collectively. Muslims sit up for this vacation because it is among the main holidays celebrated annually. It’s emphasised throughout Eid for adults and oldsters to not solely be type to youngsters however encourage their youngsters to have enjoyable. They permit youngsters to have treats and so they arrange enjoyable actions for all youngsters to have a good time.
Some faculties and communities declare this time a public vacation. If yours doesn’t, Muslim college students might miss faculty throughout this time. Assist them by providing various due dates for assignments as wanted. You too can assist them by permitting them to finish some work upfront of the vacation or making it simpler for them to finish make-up work.
Ramadan Defined: Addressing Widespread Misconceptions
Although this month is widely known by thousands and thousands of individuals across the globe annually, there are nonetheless loads of misconceptions about it amongst non-Muslims. Listed below are just a few essential issues to know, so you’ll be able to keep away from making errors once you help college students throughout Ramadan.
Fasting usually isn’t dangerous for wholesome individuals.
Those that don’t take part in fasting might imagine it’s unhealthy, saying “It’s flawed to make hungry youngsters go with out meals!” However docs be aware that fasting is mostly secure for individuals who are wholesome. If an individual’s well being is really threatened by fasting, Muslim legislation allows them to break their quick, making up the time or atoning for his or her actions later.
Some individuals imagine Muslims don’t eat or drink in any respect for a complete month, however that is clearly not the case. Most Muslims eat two meals every day, one earlier than dawn and one after the solar goes down. For those who’re involved that fasting is having severe unfavourable results on certainly one of your college students, contact their mother and father or your faculty admin employees for help.
Ramadan shouldn’t be a time of mourning.
Whereas it is a holy and essential time, it’s not certainly one of common disappointment. “Ramadan is a month of intense non secular rejuvenation with a heightened give attention to devotion,” says ING (Islamic Networks Group). They be aware that fasting is supposed to extend a relentless consciousness of God-consciousness. “From this consciousness, an individual ought to acquire self-discipline, self-restraint, and a higher incentive to do good and keep away from flawed.” By avoiding food and drinks, Muslims additionally acquire extra respect for what it’s wish to expertise meals insecurity, which some individuals face on daily basis.
Ramadan is definitely a extremely social time for Muslims, who continuously collect to hope, learn the Quran, or break fasts on the finish of the day. “For Muslims, Ramadan is a time to coach themselves each bodily and spiritually by avoiding any unfavourable acts akin to gossiping, backbiting, mendacity, or arguing,” ING notes. “Muslims welcome Ramadan as a possibility for self-reflection and non secular enchancment, and as a method to develop in ethical excellence.”
It’s not essential to cease everybody in your classroom from consuming.
“Ramadan is a month of intense non secular rejuvenation with a heightened give attention to devotion,” says ING (Islamic Networks Group). They be aware that fasting is supposed to extend a relentless consciousness of God-consciousness. “From this consciousness, an individual ought to acquire self-discipline, self-restraint, and a higher incentive to do good and keep away from flawed.” By avoiding food and drinks, Muslims additionally acquire extra respect for what it’s wish to expertise meals insecurity, which some individuals face on daily basis.
It’s not essential to ban everybody in your classroom from bringing water bottles or snacks as a way to help college students throughout Ramadan. Muslims are used to seeing others eat and drink presently; noticing their starvation and thirst is a part of their self-reflection.
Not all Muslims observe Ramadan in the identical manner.
Whereas sure required observations are laid forth in Islamic legislation, some traditions and customs fluctuate by nation, area, and even household. As with vacation or observance, practices may be completely different for every of your Muslim college students. Don’t count on every of them to behave in the identical manner concerning Ramadan. As a substitute, make room in your classroom and faculty tradition for all college students to watch their non secular practices as wanted.
7 Key Methods To Assist College students Throughout Ramadan
1. Don’t power college students to out themselves. Attain out to folks and college students privately to ask for methods to assist or accommodate them all through the month.
If in case you have sure after-school actions through the month, accommodate Muslim college students. For instance, if you’re having a film evening, schedule it round sundown so college students observing Ramadan can take part. For those who attain out to their mother and father and provides them a heads up, they will work one thing out, or you might presumably transfer the exercise to a time once they would be capable of take part.
2. Keep away from food-centric class occasions or actions.
Throughout Ramadan, all adults who’re capable of are anticipated to quick from dawn to sundown. Relying on which age you educate, you might have college students taking part in fasting partly or in full.
Whereas meals could also be a component of some classroom actions, think about methods to keep away from making it the principle occasion. This goes for celebrations like birthdays, conduct rewards, and studying actions and video games. (This coverage additionally advantages college students with meals allergic reactions.)
Study extra: A Ramadan Etiquette Information for Non-Muslims
3. Cut back doubtlessly harmful bodily exercise.
Since fasting is a vital a part of Ramadan, college students could also be experiencing low blood sugar, weak spot, and different signs that make bodily exercise harmful. Many Muslim college students will ask to switch their train or to be excused from PE. Others will select to take part absolutely in these actions.
Both manner, it’s essential to speak to your principal in regards to the faculty’s coverage and have various concepts for college kids who might have them.
Study extra: Ramadan and Bodily Schooling
4. Supply time and area for prayer.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims imagine that their non secular efforts are particularly essential and enhanced. Muslims who don’t usually pray will usually accomplish that, and people who do pray extra usually might pray much more throughout this time. It’s essential for Muslims to have an applicable area to hope. Nearly wherever will do, however your college students should be capable of focus and switch towards Mecca. It will also be useful to supply some privateness, particularly since you might have college students who select to not disclose their religion.
One technique to create this sort of area can be to periodically provide college students “mindfulness time,” throughout which college students can pray, meditate, or take a brief psychological break from what they’re doing. You could even discover it useful to supply an opportunity to take a brief stroll exterior. Taking a break like that is additionally a useful classroom administration instrument, so it could be price adopting as a year-round follow.
Study extra: Easy Mindfulness Actions for Youngsters
5. Create an alternate area throughout lunch.
Whereas Muslims are supposed to note their starvation and thirst throughout Ramadan, sitting in a room the place everybody else is consuming may be overwhelming, and it’s not a required a part of the expertise. It’s about consciousness, not struggling. Muslim college students will really feel included if they’ve an alternate place to take a break throughout lunch. The library, with just a few video games to play or enjoyable books to learn, could be a nice various, as can spending time exterior.
“Along with ensuring that college students have a quiet place to hope,” shares faculty librarian Amanda D., “I open the library throughout lunch so college students who’re fasting don’t must be within the cafeteria and may take pleasure in time with mates/friends who’re additionally celebrating.”
6. Maintain a watch out for college kids who might have extra help.
Muslim college students could also be experiencing acute senses of loss from lacking members of the family who’re now not with them, mourning for misplaced properties (particularly in the event that they’re immigrants), or being made conscious of the persecution they face throughout this time. A key a part of Ramadan is breaking the quick every day with family and friends, and the primary vacation with no cherished one may be particularly uncooked.
Maintain a watch out for college kids who don’t appear to be themselves. Be ready to supply help to those college students throughout Ramadan in no matter manner you’ll be able to. It might be price speaking to folks or college students about counseling if the month is particularly arduous on them emotionally.
Study extra: What Educators Want To Know About Childhood Trauma
7. Train your class about Ramadan traditions and Islam.
Folks really feel included when the individuals round them perceive their lives. Ramadan is a superb alternative to show your class about Islam and to construct empathy for Muslims. You could provide Muslim college students the chance to speak about their experiences, take a discipline journey to a mosque, or do an entire unit in regards to the historical past of Islam.
For college students in elementary faculty, discover methods to include read-alouds about Ramadan. Some examples of tales that can be utilized are Lailah’s Lunchbox by Reem Faruqi or Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan. Incorporating a unit on holidays world wide may be a good way to introduce Ramadan. For those who’re instructing in a spot the place Muslims are particularly persecuted, you would possibly wish to do a lesson debunking frequent myths and misconceptions too. Invite individuals from the group to come back in and talk about their traditions through the holy month of Ramadan to assist college students construct connections to their mates within the classroom or individuals they might see or know.
Sources for Instructing and Studying About Ramadan
One of the simplest ways to help college students throughout Ramadan is to have understanding of the vacation your self, and encourage others to take action as properly. Epic can also be an awesome useful resource lecturers can use. It presents many books about Ramadan for all age teams. It additionally has movies and a read-aloud function that college students can use to learn in small-group or whole-group settings. Beneath are some extra assets to assist lecturers study Ramadan and share data with their college students.
