Ramadan is a festive and holy time in Islam, meant for togetherness and neighborhood. There are practically 2 billion Muslims worldwide, and 98% of them have a good time Ramadan. For some Muslim college students, nevertheless, this time can typically be lonely or isolating, particularly if they’re a small minority. Fortuitously, there are a number of easy issues lecturers can do to help college students throughout Ramadan. Right here’s what you could know, plus assets that can assist you alongside the best way.
What Academics Ought to Know About Ramadan
These often requested questions and solutions about Ramadan provide info 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 is predicated on the sighting of the primary crescent moon (hilāl) of the ninth Islamic month, which often falls on the primary night time after a brand new moon. Nonetheless, many observant Muslims choose to attend till the precise official sighting of the crescent moon itself, and that may typically differ.
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 a bit of sooner than others. Comply with 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. Anticipate 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.
Crucial 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 consists of anybody who has reached puberty, however some youthful youngsters additionally select to take part, typically for under half a day. Meaning lecturers could have to help Muslim college students’ dietary decisions throughout Ramadan of their school 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, typically begun by consuming dates. Academics overseeing actions earlier than or after faculty ought to guarantee Muslim college students have the chance to partake of those meals. Older college students could proceed their quick, even when they’ve a sporting occasion and can want a chance to interrupt their quick with water and a light-weight snack.
*There are exceptions to this expectation for many 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 necessary throughout this time.
It is a time put aside for reflection and contemplation of their non secular beliefs. Muslims could pray extra typically, particularly throughout occasions when others could also be consuming. Many additionally select to learn or recite the complete Quran throughout the month.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims consider all of their actions are amplified within the eyes of Allah. Along with refraining from consuming or consuming throughout daylight, fasting additionally means avoiding unkind acts. Charitable acts are frequent, by monetary giving or different actions. Help 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 an in depth, Muslims have a good time the three-day vacation of Eid al-Fitr. It consists of feasts, particular prayers, communal gatherings, decorations, and infrequently cash or small items for youngsters. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time, when Muslims get pleasure from breaking their lengthy quick collectively. Muslims stay up for this vacation because it is likely one of 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 could miss faculty throughout this time. Help them by providing various due dates for assignments as wanted. You may as well 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 a number of necessary issues to know, so you may keep away from making errors if you help college students throughout Ramadan.
Fasting usually isn’t dangerous for wholesome individuals.
Those that don’t take part in fasting could consider it’s unhealthy, saying “It’s flawed to make hungry youngsters go with out meals!” However docs notice that fasting is mostly protected for many who are wholesome. If an individual’s well being is actually 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 consider 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. If you happen to’re involved that fasting is having critical adverse results on considered one of your college students, contact their dad and mom or your faculty admin workers for help.
Ramadan just isn’t a time of mourning.
Whereas this can be a holy and necessary time, it’s not considered one of basic disappointment. “Ramadan is a month of intense non secular rejuvenation with a heightened give attention to devotion,” says ING (Islamic Networks Group). They notice that fasting is supposed to extend a continuing consciousness of God-consciousness. “From this consciousness, an individual ought to acquire self-discipline, self-restraint, and a better incentive to do good and keep away from flawed.” By avoiding food and drinks, Muslims additionally acquire extra respect for what it’s prefer to expertise meals insecurity, which some individuals face daily.
Ramadan is definitely a extremely social time for Muslims, who often 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 adverse acts corresponding to gossiping, backbiting, mendacity, or arguing,” ING notes. “Muslims welcome Ramadan as a chance for self-reflection and non secular enchancment, and as a way 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 notice that fasting is supposed to extend a continuing consciousness of God-consciousness. “From this consciousness, an individual ought to acquire self-discipline, self-restraint, and a better incentive to do good and keep away from flawed.” By avoiding food and drinks, Muslims additionally acquire extra respect for what it’s prefer to expertise meals insecurity, which some individuals face daily.
It’s not essential to ban everybody in your classroom from bringing water bottles or snacks with a view to help college students throughout Ramadan. Muslims are used to seeing others eat and drink at the moment; noticing their starvation and thirst is a part of their self-reflection.
Not all Muslims observe Ramadan in the identical method.
Whereas sure required observations are laid forth in Islamic legislation, some traditions and customs differ by nation, area, and even household. As with vacation or observance, practices will be totally different for every of your Muslim college students. Don’t anticipate every of them to behave in the identical method relating to Ramadan. As an alternative, make room in your classroom and faculty tradition for all college students to look at their non secular practices as wanted.
7 Key Methods To Help College students Throughout Ramadan
1. Don’t drive 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.
In case you have sure after-school actions throughout the month, accommodate Muslim college students. For instance, in case you are having a film night time, schedule it round sundown so college students observing Ramadan can take part. If you happen to attain out to their dad and mom and provides them a heads up, they will work one thing out, or you possibly can presumably transfer the exercise to a time once they would have the ability to 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’ll have college students taking part in fasting partially or in full.
Whereas meals could also be a component of some classroom actions, think about methods to keep away from making it the primary 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. Scale back doubtlessly harmful bodily exercise.
Since fasting is a vital a part of Ramadan, college students could also be experiencing low blood sugar, weak point, and different signs that make bodily exercise harmful. Many Muslim college students will ask to change their train or to be excused from PE. Others will select to take part absolutely in these actions.
Both method, it’s necessary to speak to your principal concerning the faculty’s coverage and have various concepts for college students who may have them.
Study extra: Ramadan and Bodily Training
4. Supply time and house for prayer.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims consider that their non secular efforts are particularly necessary and enhanced. Muslims who don’t repeatedly pray will typically accomplish that, and those that do pray extra repeatedly could pray much more throughout this time. It’s necessary for Muslims to have an acceptable house to hope. Virtually anyplace will do, however your college students should have the ability to focus and switch towards Mecca. It will also be useful to supply some privateness, particularly since you’ll have college students who select to not disclose their religion.
One method to create such a house could 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. It’s possible you’ll 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 software, so it could be price adopting as a year-round apply.
Study extra: Easy Mindfulness Actions for Children
5. Create an alternate house throughout lunch.
Whereas Muslims are supposed to note their starvation and thirst throughout Ramadan, sitting in a room the place everybody else is consuming will 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 a number of video games to play or enjoyable books to learn, generally is 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 should be within the cafeteria and may get pleasure from time with mates/friends who’re additionally celebrating.”
6. Maintain an eye fixed out for college students who may have further 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 houses (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 and not using a beloved one will be particularly uncooked.
Maintain an eye fixed out for college students who don’t seem to be themselves. Be ready to supply help to those college students throughout Ramadan in no matter method you may. It could be price speaking to folks or college students about counseling if the month is very laborious on them emotionally.
Study extra: What Educators Want To Know About Childhood Trauma
7. Train your class about Ramadan traditions and Islam.
Individuals really feel included when the individuals round them perceive their lives. Ramadan is a good alternative to show your class about Islam and to construct empathy for Muslims. It’s possible you’ll provide Muslim college students the chance to speak about their experiences, take a area journey to a mosque, or do an entire unit concerning the historical past of Islam.
For college kids 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 will be an effective way to introduce Ramadan. If you happen to’re instructing in a spot the place Muslims are particularly persecuted, you may need to do a lesson debunking frequent myths and misconceptions too. Invite individuals from the neighborhood to come back in and talk about their traditions throughout the holy month of Ramadan to assist college students construct connections to their mates within the classroom or individuals they could see or know.
Assets for Instructing and Studying About Ramadan
One of the best ways to help college students throughout Ramadan is to have understanding of the vacation your self, and encourage others to take action as nicely. Epic can be an awesome useful resource lecturers can use. It affords 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. Under are some further assets to assist lecturers study Ramadan and share info with their college students.
