Glasgow’s Muslim community gears up for Ramadan 2023: Important dates, fasting exemptions, and traditions explained
Muslims in Glasgow will be able to go to mosque this Ramadan
Ramadan will begin tonight in Glasgow and is expected to end on the 21st of April depending on the length of the lunar cycle.
Glasgow has the highest Muslim population of any city in Scotland, and most will be fasting unless they are exempt.
Exemptions for fasting apply to children, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with ill health.
The month is important in the Islamic calendar as it celebrates the revelation of the holy scriptures and how the Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammed.
Muslims will have one meal before dawn, called a suhoor or a sehri, before they close their fast and eat iftar after the sun sets.
If you cannot fast during Ramadan or make up your fast after, you can pay for someone else to have a meal which is known as a Fidyah.
Islamic Relief says that the current rate of paying it forward is £5 which will allow someone else to receive two meals.
Missing every fast would cost approximately £150.
Rimsha Aamir is excited about Ramadan this year as it will be the first proper one since the initial lockdown.
She said: “I will be able to go and do Tarawih, an hour-long night-time prayer, with everyone this year.
“We never got to do that last year and we had to do it at home so it will be exciting to do that this year.”
Find out what else Rimsha Aamir and Sanah Ahmad to say about what Ramadan means to them below:
