With fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory for all adult Muslims, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have worked with the Lancashire Council of Mosques and Muslim faith leaders to offer advice to both patients and staff.
With Ramadan falling when daylight hours are long, fasts will be up to 19 hours long, and there are a number of issues Muslim patients and Trust staff and managers need to keep in mind.
This year Ramadan starts on Sunday 5 May 2019 and will finish on or around Tuesday 4 June. Fasting commences at dawn and ends at sunset. Each fast will get later as the month progresses. You can refer to the Islamic Prayer Timetable here.
The Festival of EID may fall on Tuesday 4 or Wednesday 5 June.
Further information is available as follows:
· Frequently Asked Questions https://www.nhs.uk/video/Pages/healthy-ramadan.aspx
· Fasting Health Risks https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/ramadan
· Quit Smoking during Ramadan http://www.quitsquad.nhs.uk/article.php?title=Ramadan
· Ramadan and diabetes https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/ramadan?gclid=CjwKCAjwqqrmBRAAEiwAdpDXtIEcm1j93NoItpqZ5zNOjwAS1DYg3BIWrjTIfn2o6UgNG5HYF_qPRBoC_x0QAvD_BwE
The above answers have been put together by medical experts and Islamic scholars and researchers.
Finally we wish all Muslims to have a blessed and generous Ramadan and for fasting to be a means of attaining piety.