Mombasa: Muslims around the globe are preparing to begin fasting from dawn to dusk for the month of Ramadhan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. This year, the holy month is expected to begin on March 1, 2025, depending on the moon sighting, marking a rare celestial event that occurs roughly every 33 years.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ramadhan, which is determined by the sighting of a new crescent moon, often divides the Muslim world over the exact starting date. Islam adheres to the lunar calendar, meaning that the month of Ramadhan begins or ends when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. The exact dates of Islamic occasions can’t be set in advance due to the nature of the Islamic lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian one, which uses the solar calendar.
Fasting during Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, five daily prayers, giving Zakah (charity), and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The start of Ramadhan, the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is determined by the sighting of a new moon, and in the Muslim world, all eyes will be set on the heavens next week to see the new moon.
Ramadhan, which typically lasts 29-30 days, is one of the most sacred periods for Muslims. It is the month in which it is believed that the Holy Quran was sent down from heaven as ‘a guidance for humanity and a means of salvation’. Muslims have to abstain from all forms of food and drinks during the daylight hours, breaking their fast at sunset. Fasting is compulsory for every Muslim male or female, with exemptions for children under the age of puberty, the elderly, the sick, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and women in menstruation.
Muslims are highly encouraged to pray more during this month, and there are special prayers at night, ‘Taraweeh’, mostly performed in mosques as congregational prayers. In the coastal city of Mombasa, mosques have started special sessions and classes (Darsa) to usher in the holy month of fasting. During the holy fasting month, entire streets in Mombasa turn into open-air Iftar (breaking the fast) buffets.
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Aden Duale, has welcomed the government’s decision to waive taxes on date fruits during the fasting period. Dates are traditionally the first food Muslims break their daylong fast with in the evening. Duale stated that the move shows the government’s unwavering support and solidarity with the Muslim community through the importation of duty-free dates. He emphasized that this initiative eases access to this essential fruit for Iftar and reflects the government’s commitment to fostering religious inclusivity and national unity.
Duale also appealed for enhanced security across the country during the fasting month of Ramadhan, urging security agencies to enhance their vigilance as people offer special nighttime prayers known as Taraweeh. Dates, which are sweet fruits that grow on a palm-like tree, are mostly found in Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Jordan, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The fast is broken with prayer and iftar, often consisting of dates and sips of water after sunset, and some mosques in Mombasa hold dinners where the faithful can break their fast together during Ramadhan. Following the tax exemption on this important commodity, residents expect traders to reduce prices to make dates affordable for everyone.