Guest speaker Aiza Siddiqi visited the Lower School on Wednesday, April 3 to talk about Ramadan. The boys learned how the Islamic calendar follows phases of the moon, which is why the month of Ramadan doesn’t fall at the exact same time each year. Eid is the celebration that takes place when the new moon appears, about 29 or 30 days after the start of Ramadan.

Siddiqi shared that Muslims who observe Ramadan fast between sunrise and sunset every day for the whole month. She pointed out that only healthy adults — not children, elderly adults, or anyone who couldn’t fast safely — participate. She emphasized that while fasting is a big part of Ramadan, it’s not all that Ramadan is about. “It’s about being grateful, helping others, seeking forgiveness, and being kind,” she said. “Ramadan is about community.”

Siddiqi explained how in different parts of the world, people fast for different lengths of time. Even in the same part of the world, the length of the fast changes each day as the amount of sunlight increases. Typically, the fast lasts between 13 and 15 hours each day.

Thank you to Lower School CIE Coordinator Trevlin Alexander for arranging this assembly, and to Ms. Siddiqi for spending time with us!