As the holy month of Ramadan enters the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world start on a spiritual journey of fasting from dusk til dawn. This ritual, known as ‘Sawm,’ is one of Islam’s Five Pillars and is deeply revered. However, the length of fasting varies widely across the globe due to regional variances, resulting in some remarkable extremes.
Fasting periods in the world’s far north, such as Greenland and Iceland, can last up to 17 hours. This is owing to the tilt of the Earth and the sun’s position, which causes longer daylight hours during the summer months. In extreme northern locations such as Longyearbyen in Norway, where the sun does not set from April 20 to August 22, religious judgments have been made requiring Muslims to fast according to the fasting times of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, or the next Muslim country.
In contrast, Muslims in the world’s southernmost countries, such as New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina, fast for approximately 12 hours. This is owing to the decreased daylight hours observed in certain regions during Ramadan.
Fasting times are inextricably related to the lunar Hijri calendar, which is dependent on the moon’s phases. This calendar is made up of 29 or 30-day months, making it 11 days shorter than the solar year. As a result, Ramadan starts 10 to 12 days earlier every year. This shifting cycle means that Ramadan will be observed twice in 2030.
Fasting begins approximately eight hours after the last meal. The fast comprises abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse during daylight hours in order to increase “taqwa,” or God-consciousness. Suhoor is the pre-dawn meal to begin the daily fast, and breaking one’s fast after sunset is called Iftar.
The practice of fasting during Ramadan demonstrates the great diversity and adaptation of Islamic traditions around the globe. Whether it’s a quick 12-hour fast in the southern hemisphere or a long 17-hour fast in the north, the spirit of Ramadan brings Muslims all around the world together in a shared experience of faith, patience, and endurance.
As we wonder at the geographical extremes of fasting, we are reminded of the universal ideals that Ramadan represents: empathy, self-discipline, and a sense of community. Regardless of the length of the day, the essence of Ramadan stays constant, brightening the lives of millions of people worldwide.
