Ramadhan Mubarak or “Blessed Ramadhan” to all Muslims preparing for Ramadhan 2026 in Shropshire; and blessings to all Christians who are preparing for Lent.

Muslims and Christians are welcoming Ramadhan and Lent, with Tuesday 17^th February marking the start of the holy month for Muslims and the beginning of 40 days of Lent for Christians.  Whilst it is unusual for this to be on the same day, it allows us all to think about commonalities across faiths and share this special time with them.

For both groupings, it is a time of individual prayers and contemplation as well as giving to charity, fasting or abstinence, and coming together in communities of faith and fellowship. It is seen as a time of reflections and spiritual growth.

Please read on for more about these faith observations.

What makes Ramadhan special for Muslims?

Ramadhan remembers the month the Qur'an (the Muslim holy book) was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The actual night that the Qur'an was revealed is a night known as Lailut ul-Qadr ('The Night of Power').

The annual observance of Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.

Ramadhan, or Ramathan, is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, the Ramadhan start date in the UK is expected to be Tuesday 17^th February 2026, because the Muslim lunar calendar year is shorter than the Gregorian calendar, and begins 10 to 12 days earlier each year.

Fasting will conclude with the Festival of Breaking the Fast, or Eid al-Fitr, which is expected to take place on either Thursday 19th March or Friday 20th March 2026. The exact timing is based on the sighting of the next new moon. Eid al-Fitr officially begins at the start of the Islamic month of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar.

What do Muslims do during Ramadhan?

It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

Sawm, or fasting during the month of Ramadhan, is one of the five pillars of Islam. These are five key practices that all Muslims are obligated to fulfil throughout their lifetime. These practices are referred to as pillars because they form the foundation of Muslim life. The five pillars of Islam are Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj.

Muslims will also observe Zakat (zakaat, zakah), or almsgiving. At its core, Ramadhan is about recognising one's blessings and expressing gratitude by helping those in need.

During Ramadhan, it is common to have one meal (known as the suhoor), just before dawn and another (known as the iftar), directly after sunset.

Most Muslims fast between dawn and sunset. Fasting allows Muslims to devote themselves to their faith. It is thought to teach self-discipline and reminds them of the suffering of the poor. Some Muslims will not be fasting, including children, older people, pregnant women, and those who are ill or perhaps travelling.

Many Muslims will seek to read the whole of the Qur'an at least once during Ramadhan. They will also attend special services in Mosques during which the Qur'an is read.

If you know someone who is Muslim, please check in on them, and be mindful when scheduling meetings or events, in order to be supportive to them whether they are fasting or not.

Please also support them in having both the time and an appropriate place to perform prayers.  Because Ramadhan is a time for reflection and prayer and as such, many Muslims will use the month to engage in prayers throughout the day

Eid al-Fitr is then celebrated for up to three days, and is an occasion for celebrating the completion of Ramadhan with family and friends. It is a means of fostering good ties among family members, and also with the whole community. Eid is characterised by visiting loved ones, sharing gifts and food, and praying Eid Salah in congregation.

What makes Lent special for Christians?

For Christians, Lent is the period of time that starts with Ash Wednesday. It leads up to Easter, the most important festival in the Christian calendar, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ after His death on the cross.

Lent lasts for a period of six weeks, or 40 days not including Sundays. It is when Christians remember Jesus Christ’s 40 days of fasting and praying in the desert before He started preaching His message.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins. In the Middle Ages, Christians would go to church on this day to be ‘shriven’ - meaning to receive forgiveness for the sins they confessed. This is the origin of the name ‘Shrove Tuesday’. This day is also known as ‘Pancake Tuesday’. In order to get ready for the traditional fast of Lent it was necessary to use up all the forbidden ingredients in the house, such as eggs and milk, before the solemn period of Lent. In Britain and Ireland, it is traditional to make pancakes, but in other parts of the world it is a day of carnivals and parties.

What do Christians do during Lent?

On Ash Wednesday itself, there may be special services at which people will receive ashes on their forehead in the shape of a cross. The ashes are usually made from the little palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday, and they are a public sign of faith and willingness to live as Jesus Christ.

During Lent, Christians may spend much time in prayer and in reading the Bible, alone or in collective study. There will be a focus upon repentance and reconciliation, to prepare for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There will also be giving to charity, also known as almsgiving: this could be monetary, or through donating time to help those in need. Lent is a time to focus on others and to help those less fortunate.

The primary liturgical colour for Lent is violet or purple, symbolizing penance, repentance, humility, and sombre reflection as the faithful prepare for Easter. This colour is used from Ash Wednesday until the day before Palm Sunday. Red is then used on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday to represent the blood of Christ’s passion.

Mothering Sunday is the one day during this time when there is a break from anything that has been given up, and opportunity taken to be with family, at home and at church. It is also the day when rose or pink may be used as the liturgical colour worn by the priest, in parallel to Advent’s ‘Gaudete Sunday’. Flowers may also be placed on the high altar.

It was originally a day to honour and give thanks to the Virgin Mary, also known as Mother Mary. Such celebrations required people to visit their 'mother' church - the main church or cathedral in a family's area.

During the Middle Ages, the custom developed of allowing people who had moved away from where they grew up to come back to visit their home or 'mother' churches, and their mothers, on that day. At the time, it wasn't uncommon for children to leave home to work when they were as young as 10 years old, so this was an opportunity for families to meet up again.

Lent is about family and faith and community, just as Ramadhan observations are also about family and faith and community.