In Sitak, Iraq, Mohammad and his family sit down to iftar, the nightly meal that breaks the fast during Ramadan. Photo: UNOCHA/Rawsht Twana

As one of the five pillars of Islam, this year's Ramadan lasts from March 11 to April 10 or April 11 depending on the lunar cycle in each country. Muslims will wake up early to eat a pre-dawn meal called suhoor, and after sunset, they will have a dinner called iftar, ending a day of fasting. People also gather at mosques for prayers.

During the month of Ramadan, fasting from dawn until sunset is mandatory for all Muslims. It means sympathy for the poor and fellow Muslims who do not have enough food and clothing. Fasting also trains believers to be abstinent, resist material and spiritual temptations and create conditions for going to heaven later.

This year's Ramadan takes place amid conflicts in many parts of the world and inflationary pressures weighing heavily on some countries. In Indonesia and Bangladesh, two countries with large Muslim populations, most people have reduced their shopping because of rising prices for most essential items: rice, lentils, onions, cooking oil, and chicken with a price increase of 30-40%.

However, the biggest wish is not only the government's policy to ease inflation, but also peace in many places. So far, efforts to achieve a 6-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during the holy month of Ramadan have yet produced a breakthrough. Beyond Gaza, the conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its 11th month, has claimed thousands of lives and caused a major migration crisis.

In a message, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the values of Ramadan must prevail. He called on all parties in Sudan to honor the values of Ramadan by honoring a Ramadan cessation of hostilities. The cessation of hostilities must lead to a definitive silencing of the guns across the country and set out a firm path towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people, he added.

Muslims pray for people in conflict areas to have the opportunity to practice rituals during this holy month.