Each year, millions of Muslims begin fasting from sunrise to sunset and engage in activities that challenge their self-restraint and bring them closer to God.

With Ramadan expected to begin on the night of Sunday, March 10 this year, fasting starts the next morning on Monday. The holiday is celebrated on different dates each year. Every year, the holiday starts approximately 11 days before it did the previous year. The exact date always depends on the sighting of the crescent moon.

Here's what you should know about the start and end of the Islamic Holy Month as well as Eid Al-Fitr.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic or Hijri, calendar. Muslims believe that it was during this month that God revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad.

When does Ramadan end?

Fasting can last for 29 or 30 days depending on when the moon signifying the start of the next month is spotted.

This year, it's predicted that Ramadan will end on April 9, with the following day being the first day of Eid Al-Fitr. However, like the start of Ramadan, the end of the month is also contingent on the sighting of the moon.

When is Eid Al-Fitr 2024? What is it?

With the predicted end of Ramadan on April 9, the following day would mark the first day of Eid Al-Fitr.

Muslims end the month of Ramadan with the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, one of the two celebratory holidays in the Islamic faith. Eid Al-Fitr is a time when Muslims come together in prayer, and also celebrate completing Ramadan.

Traditions vary across the world, but it's not uncommon for families to buy new clothes, get dressed up, gather together, and give presents or money to each other.

"It's a festive holiday to look forward to," Imam Ebad Rahman, Religious Life Associate for Muslim Life at Columbia University, told USA TODAY.

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