The muezzin announces them from the top of his minaret. During the month of Ramadan, the Moroccans fast, refraining from eating and smoking from sunrise to sunset. Obviously this disturbs daily life. Most Civil Service and public offices, monuments and shops alter their opening hours. However, non Muslims will always find something to eat in certain restaurants, particularly in hotels.
Civil life is regulated by the Gregorian calendar.
As opposed to other Muslim countries, the weekend consists of Saturday and Sunday. Friday is not a public holiday, but Civil and Public Service offices extend their lunch break to allow the faithful to attend prayers. The religious life follows the Muslim calendar. The Hegiran year, a lunar year, is made up of 12 months, but is shorter than the solar year. The month of Ramadan and the major religious festivals vary according to the Gregorian calendar.