The Muslim holiday of Ramadan starts tonight, Feb. 28, and lasts until March 29. The monthlong observance of Ramadan is a period of introspection, communal prayer and reading the Qurʾān. According to Islam, those who observe the holy month of Ramadan with fasting, prayer and faithful intention are forgiven by God for their past sins.

Ramadan is a time of togetherness for Muslims, as they fill mosques for hours of prayer and share large, lavish meals with family, friends and neighbors after days of dawn-to-dusk fasting.

Ramadan will now last for 29 or 30 days, ending around March 30. Muslims will observe Ramadan until Eid al-Fitr, the official holiday marking the end of the holy month. Each year,