Tuesday, Aug. 02, 2011

Sunnis and Shi'ites Break Their Fasts at Different Times

After fasting through the day, Sunni Muslims may break their fast as soon as the daily maghrib prayer begins, which is when the sun is no longer visible on the horizon (although the sky is often still quite light). Shi'ites wait longer, believing that their fast cannot be broken until the last rays of light have vanished from the sky. Regional variations may apply in both branches of Islam, however, so this is not an absolute distinction.