Ramadan Kareem

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What does Ramadan Kareem mean?

Ramadan Kareem (رَمَضَانُ كَرِيمٌ) means "Ramadan is generous" or "a generous, noble Ramadan". Kareem comes from the Arabic root k-r-m, which joins generosity, nobility and honour in one word. As a greeting it says: may this month be full of good for you. Muslims exchange it when the new moon of Ramadan is sighted and all through the month of fasting.

It is especially common in the Arab world, on shop banners, lanterns and greeting cards, which is where many people first meet the phrase.

Ramadan Kareem word by word

Kareem follows the fa'eel pattern, which describes a lasting quality. Other words from the same root:

When do Muslims say Ramadan Kareem?

• When the month is announced. Families and friends text "Ramadan Kareem" the night the moon is sighted.
• At the mosque. People greet each other before Tarawih, often after the normal salaam.
• At iftar. Hosts and guests say it when they gather to break the fast.
• In cards and posts. It is a staple on decorations, cards and social media throughout the month.

The reply. The classic answer is "Allahu akram" (Allah is more generous). It is a small correction built into the custom: you said the month is generous, and the reply reminds both of you where that generosity comes from. Many people simply say "Ramadan Kareem" back, or add a dua such as "may Allah accept from us and you".

When the month ends, the greeting moves on to Eid Mubarak for Eid al-Fitr.

Ramadan Kareem in the Quran and Sunnah

The phrase itself is not in the Quran or hadith. It is a cultural greeting, but both of its ideas, a noble month and a generous Lord, are rooted in the sources.

Allah describes Himself with the same word. "O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous" (Quran 82:6). And in the first revelation: "Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous" (Quran 96:3). The second verse uses al-akram, the exact word in the reply "Allahu akram". Both translations are Sahih International.

The Quran also uses karim for things other than Allah. The Queen of Sheba says, "indeed, to me has been delivered a noble letter" (Quran 27:29), and the Quran calls itself "a noble Qur'an" (Quran 56:77). This matters for the scholarly debate below.

On the month itself, Allah says: "The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people" (Quran 2:185).

Generosity is also how the Prophet ﷺ lived Ramadan. Ibn Abbas reported: "The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel visited him" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1902). So a "generous Ramadan" is not only about what Allah gives, it is a month for giving sadaqah yourself.

The Prophet ﷺ also announced the month to his Companions: "There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast" (Sunan an-Nasa'i 2106, graded sahih by Al-Albani). Scholars point to this as a basis for congratulating one another when Ramadan arrives.

Is it correct to say Ramadan Kareem?

This is the question the phrase is best known for, and scholars hold two views.

The objection. Some scholars, mostly from the Saudi tradition, discourage the phrase. Their reasoning: the month does not give anything, Allah is the one who is al-Karim and placed virtue in Ramadan. Some add a warning against the attitude that a "generous" month will overlook sins. On this view "Ramadan Mubarak" (blessed Ramadan) is the more accurate greeting, since Allah is the one who blesses it.

The permission. Other scholars see no problem. The General Iftaa Department of Jordan, answering this exact question, ruled that there is no harm in congratulating one another with "Ramadan Kareem" and no evidence in the Shariah prohibiting it (Dar al-Iftaa Jordan, via IslamQA.org). Supporters note that the Quran calls a letter, a messenger and the Quran itself karim, so the word is not reserved for Allah, and describing a time as noble because of what Allah put in it is ordinary Arabic.

In practice both greetings are widely used, and replying "Allahu akram" answers the concern either way.

Ramadan Kareem vs Ramadan Mubarak

For the full explanation of the other greeting, see Ramadan Mubarak. Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia often use local greetings instead, and in Urdu speaking homes you will also hear "Ramzan Kareem".

Related terms

• Ramadan: the month the greeting is about.
• Ramadan Mubarak: the "blessed Ramadan" greeting and its reply.
• Sawm: the fast that defines the month.
• Laylat al-Qadr: the night better than a thousand months, in Ramadan's last ten nights.
• Barakah: the blessing behind the word mubarak.
• 99 Names of Allah: where Al-Karim sits among the Names.
• Ramadan complete guide: fasting, prayer and charity through the month.
• Daily duas for Ramadan: what to say beyond the greeting.

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