The earliest official regulation of Ramadan in Islam began in 623 A.D. The month of Ramadan means "forbidden month" and is considered to be the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan means "forbidden month" and refers to the month of September in the Islamic calendar, which is also the month in which Allah the Almighty sent down the Quran to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and is considered to be the holiest day in the Islamic calendar.
"Fasting at the sight of the new moon and fasting at the sight of the new moon", Ramadan begins and ends with the appearance of the new crescent moon and lasts for about a month. Since different Islamic countries see the crescent moon at different times, the respective times of entering Ramadan are not exactly the same. In addition, the Islamic calendar has about 355 days per year, which is about 10 days different from the Gregorian calendar, so Ramadan does not have a fixed time in the Gregorian calendar. This year, Ramadan is expected to begin on March 10 and end on April 10, according to the Saudi Arabian Observatory's forecast.
During Ramadan, all Muslims, except the sick, travelers, breastfeeding, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and soldiers in combat, must observe a strict fast, abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, scandalous behavior, and obscene language from dawn to sunset. People are not allowed to eat until the sun sinks. The Islamic Shariah believes that the significance of fasting in addition to fulfilling religious obligations, but also to cultivate character, restrain selfish desires, experience the suffering of the poor hunger, develop compassion, in order to help the poor, to do good.
During Ramadan, Saudi Arabia looks like a deserted city during the day, with only a few stores and supermarkets open. Restaurants open after four o'clock, but only for take-away and not for dine-in. Many Saudis will drive around with their families and have picnics in open spaces; free food and water are also distributed in mosques and some places to help those in need. Traditionally, Saudis eat a few dates and drink some water before the service ends.
After Iftar, it's time for the city to wake up. Everyone heads to the supermarket to buy food for the next day, with dates and dried fruits being the favorite snacks. Feel free to eat and drink as much as you like until the morning rituals the next morning, around 4am. Shopping centers and restaurants are also open until 2 or 3 am, so many places are still very busy until midnight, as opposed to being empty during the day.