Claim: Ramadan is a month of fasting for Muslims.

Ramadan -LRB- Arabic : رمضان -RRB- or Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar , and the month in which the Quran was revealed .   Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam . The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset . According to Islam , the Quran was sent down to the lowest heaven during this month , thus being prepared for gradual revelation by Jibreel -LRB- Gabriel -RRB- to the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Therefore , Muhammad told his followers that the gates of Heaven would be open for the entire month and the gates of Hell -LRB- Jahannam -RRB- would be closed . The first day of the next month , Shawwal , is spent in celebration and is observed as the `` Festival of Breaking Fast '' or Eid al-Fitr .