Ramadan 2018 is starting later this week, marking the beginning of the holy month in Islam religion.

Here are eight things

you should know about it:

• The holiday lasts 29 to 30 days every year, and this year it will start on Thursday, May 17.
• Ramadan requires that followers of Islam don’t eat or drink and only have pure thoughts from sunset to sunrise.
• Many of the Middle Eastern countries that are majorly Arabic will shorten their workday by anywhere from two hours to three hours.
• Ramadan takes place on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and it commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad, according to Islamic belief.
• This annual observance is seen as one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the five basic acts of Islam and they are considered to be mandatory in order to be part of the faith.
• The word Ramadan hails from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness.
• Fasting is an essential part of the tradition in Ramadan, except for those who are sick, those who are traveling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, chronically ill or menstruating.
• During Ramadan, in addition to not eating or drinking, Muslims must not have sexual relations or insult, curse or lie to anyone else as it is considered a disobedience of the day.