DETROIT — American Muslims face an August Ramadan, which begins today, for the first time in 33 years.
Moreover, it will be creeping deeper into summer for the next seven years because the Islamic lunar calendar is roughly 11 days shorter than the international solar calendar. That means Muslims in the U.S. face longer, hotter days of devotion.
Religious leaders see the seasonal shift as an opportunity for increased faithfulness but worry that participation by the young and some events could suffer. That’s because many activities will have to be pushed back later after a later sunset.
They also say the fast during daylight hours could be more meaningful because it will be harder to complete.
“It’s really the summer that lets you truly appreciate fasting for what it is,” said Jihad Turk, director of religious affairs for the Islamic Center of Southern California.
