The Muslim holy month of Ramadan will begin on Monday, March 11 or Tuesday, March 12 depending on the sighting of the new moon. The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations during daylight hours to achieve greater “taqwa” or consciousness of God. For Muslims living in the northern Hemisphere, the number of fasting hours will be a bit shorter this year and will continue to decrease until 2031.