Ramadan Begins With Nighttime Business Shifts in Brazil's Foz do Iguaçu

Overview

• Ramadan began on February 18, 2026 in Brazil, with the month expected to conclude around March 20 subject to lunar sighting, which can lead to differing start dates across communities.
• In Foz do Iguaçu, home to Brazil’s second-largest Muslim community, restaurants have moved operations to late-night hours to accommodate suhoor and iftar.
• One local eatery now opens from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends, reflecting demand for pre-dawn and post-sunset meals, according to owner Abdul Jalil.
• The ninth month of the Islamic calendar marks the Quran’s first revelations and calls on healthy, post‑puberty Muslims to abstain from eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset while intensifying Quran recitation.
• Global observance includes high‑profile athletes such as Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, with reporting noting that some professionals may receive religious authorization to pause fasting on competition days.