Ramadan 2025: Significance of the holy month and how it’s celebrated across Saudi Arabia, India and across the Globe

Ramadan, a sacred month for Muslims worldwide, is marked by fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Falling in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, it commemorates Prophet Muhammad's first revelation. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, Ramadan lasts 29 to 30 days, beginning and ending with the sighting of the crescent moon. Let's look into its significance and how it is celebrated across India, Saudi Arabia, and other parts of the world. (Also read: Ramadan 2025: How Indians celebrate the holy month with faith, feasts and festivities )

Significance of Ramadan

Fasting during Ramadan, one of the Five Pillars of Islam is a profound act of worship that goes beyond physical restraint, fostering spiritual growth and devotion to Allah. It teaches self-discipline, helping individuals control their desires and focus on faith.

By experiencing hunger and thirst, fasting also cultivates empathy for the less fortunate, deepening one's compassion. It is seen as a means of purifying the soul, encouraging self-reflection and seeking forgiveness. Moreover, Ramadan strengthens family and community bonds as loved ones come together for iftar, fostering unity and togetherness.

How Ramadan is celebrated in India, Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world

In India, Ramadan is marked by vibrant iftar gatherings, with markets bustling with delicacies like kebabs, biryanis, and dates. Mosques see large congregations for Taraweeh prayers, and charity plays a significant role, with people distributing food to the underprivileged.

In Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection and grandeur. The Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina witness millions of worshippers. Families gather for traditional Saudi dishes like samboosas and qahwa (Arabic coffee), and businesses adjust working hours to accommodate fasting.

Across the Middle East, Ramadan is celebrated with elaborate suhoor and iftar meals, while cities like Dubai light up with special night markets and Ramadan tents. In Turkey, communal iftar meals and drumming traditions to wake people for suhoor are common.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, sees vibrant Ramadan bazaars and nightly prayers at grand mosques. In the West, Muslims balance fasting with work or studies, often hosting interfaith iftars to foster understanding.