How Mansoor and His Family Observe Ramadan

Mansoor and his family look forward to observing Ramadan every year. As a father to a client of Alta California Regional Center, Mansoor instills his culture in the lives of his children and helps them find their journey with Islam. Ramadan is a month of fasting, and its beginning depends on the Islamic calendar’s sighting of the crescent moon. For 2025, Ramadan begins March 1, but its beginning and end is variable every year.

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, and pilgrimage. Fasting is an act of worship for Muslims because it allows them to obtain God-conscious piety. The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink from dawn to sunset before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic. For Mansoor and his family, he will rise between midnight and two in the morning to eat a meal that is enough to sustain life. The intent is to not fill themselves up on food, but to consume enough that will allow them to spend the rest of their day fasting. All adults can fast during Ramadan, and they make exceptions for children or if a person is pregnant.

Mansoor enjoys fasting and as a father, he encourages his children to participate when they are ready. His 8-year-old daughter has shared with him that she wants to begin fasting, and so they typically will end the fast earlier in the day for younger children. Fasting is a sign of sacrifice and Mansoor shared that it helps the body relax. In Afghanistan, Mansoor shared that during Ramadan, special food is available for Muslims to eat at midnight, such as the Afghan pickle called chatni, and dates.

A significant night during Ramadan is the Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Power, which is the night that God first revealed the Qurʾān to the Prophet Muhammed through the angel Gabriel. It is believed to have taken place during one of the final 10 nights of Ramadan. Worship and good deeds performed during the Night of Power are more valuable than those performed over 83 years in the Muslim faith.

Following Ramadan, Mansoor and his family celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which lasts three days, and translates to “breaking of the fast.” They go to friends’ and family’s homes and eat celebratory food. To further immerse his son, Mohammed, in their culture, he will talk with his extended family in Afghanistan, wear the traditional clothing, and study in Islamic teachings.