When Does Ramadan Begin in 2009?Every ninth month of the Islamic calendar (lunar calendar), Muslims around the world fast (no food and water) from dawn to dusk for one month. Each day, Muslims will break their fast at sundown with special prayers at mosques. This practice serves to remind them to empathise with those less fortunate than themselves.
The Islamic months in the Islamic calendar are named as follows:
Muharram محرّم (or Muharram al Ḥaram)
Safar صفر (or Ṣafar al Muzaffar)
Rabi' al-awwal (Rabī' I) ربيع الأول
Rabi' al-thani (or Rabī' al Thānī, or Rabī' al-Akhir) (Rabī' II) ربيع الآخر أو ربيع الثاني
Jumada al-awwal (Jumādā I) جمادى الاول
Jumada al-thani (or Jumādā al-akhir) (Jumādā II) جمادى الآخر أو جمادى الثاني
Rajab رجب (or Rajab al Murajab)
Sha'aban شعبان (or Sha'abān al Moazam)
Ramadan رمضان (or Ramzān, long form: Ramaḍān al Mubarak)
Shawwal شوّال (or Shawwal al Mukarram)
Dhu al-Qi'dah ذو القعدة
Dhu al-Hijjah ذو الحجة
Of all the months in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is the most venerated. Muslims are required to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during the daylight hours of this month.
Source: Wikipedia
It is estimated that Ramadan will start on August 21, 2009. This is subject to the first visual sighting of the lunar crescent.
