Thirty days later, the sighting of the next new moon will mark the end of this period during which, from puberty onwards, followers of Islam – except the very elderly, pregnant or menstruating women, the sick and travellers – are obliged not to eat or drink between dawn and dusk.

Fasting in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, based on the lunar cycle, is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. According to Islamic tradition, it was in this month that God revealed the religion's sacred book, the Quran, to the Prophet Muhammad.

At the Central Mosque of Lisbon, as is customary during Ramadan, 2,000 meals will be made available daily to break the fast at sunset.

The “recitation of the Holy Quran in congregation during the 29/30 nights, lectures and religious education classes” are other activities planned to take place in that mosque, Samir Aboobaker, from the Islamic Community of Lisbon, told Lusa.

During Ramadan, believers are expected to reflect and perform good deeds, for example, helping the underprivileged, and the mosque will distribute “clothes to those most in need,” he added.

Another of the pillars of Islam is almsgiving, which tends to be more frequent during this month, and, in the field of good deeds, in several Muslim countries, the end of the holy month is an occasion for amnesties.

The expected end date of Ramadan in 2025 is March 30, a time for the festival of breaking the fast, Eid al-Fitr, and a day of celebration for fulfilling one's duty, to say prayers for the occasion, spend time with family and enjoy good food.

The fact that the lunar year is shorter than the solar year explains why each year the date of Ramadan moves 10 or 11 days closer to the beginning of the year. According to news published on the website of the European television network Euronews, in 2030, Ramadan will be celebrated twice, at the beginning of January and at the end of December.

Islam is the world's second-largest religion, followed by about 25% of the world's population. In Portugal, Muslims will number “more than 50 thousand”, with Sunnis representing “between 80 and 90%” of believers.