Ramadan Mubarak

A nice sunrise to the start of Ramadan. I do like the two hours less work per day.

The period of Ramadan is now upon us and Muslims across the world face a long period of abstinence leading up to Eid al-Fitr.

Ramadan is a sombre period of spiritual reflection, daylight fasting and increased charitable behaviour for Muslims.

But while the period brings Muslims closer to God, it’s also a time of joy and involves daily convivial meetings for breaking fast at sundown, called Iftar.

So what is acceptable to say in greeting when you meet up with friends and family at sundown and eat some dates; there are two established greetings to choose from:

Ramadan Mubarak is the most widely recognised greeting utilised by Muslims, and means "have a blessed Ramadan".

Ramadan Kareem is another expression often used, however there is some open deliberation regarding whether it is suitable. Some say that the expression, which signifies "may Ramadan be generous to you", conflicts with the lessons of Islam since Ramadan itself can't be generous.