Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar to commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad.
Today, we recognize Canada’s Muslim population who are preparing to welcome the Islamic holy month, which starts this week.
While small, the proportion of Canada’s population who reported being Muslim has more than doubled in 20 years, rising from 2.0% in 2001, to 4.9% in 2021.
Compared with the overall population, higher proportions of Arabs (73.6%) and West Asians (57.2%) reported being Muslims.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day. This means abstaining from food, drink and other activities during the daylight hours.
At the same time, Muslims practice charity and prioritize service to others during the month. Ramadan is a special time for community, a time of sharing and caring for each other, that is characterized by a greater sense of generosity and forgiveness.
Because of to the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in religious group activities changed for many religious communities in Canada. The proportion of people who had participated in a religious group activity in the previous year fell more sharply than average among Muslims, from 71% in 2019 to 57% in 2020.
This year, without restriction, Muslims will gather in homes, mosques and community centres to break their daily fast at the evening meal known as iftar.
To all those observing, Ramadan Mubarak!
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).