Which Quran chapter commands believers to fast during Ramadan?

The Quran chapter Al-Baqarah contains the principal command for Muslims to fast during Ramadan.

Verses 2:183–185 describe fasting as an obligation for believers and identify Ramadan as the month in which the Quran was revealed. The passage also explains exemptions and alternatives for people who are ill or traveling, with further guidance developed in Islamic jurisprudence.

Al-Baqarah is the Quran’s longest chapter and is traditionally classified as a Medinan surah. Its name means “The Cow,” referring to a narrative in the chapter about the Children of Israel and a cow.

The chapter is sometimes confused with Al-Fatiha, which is recited in every rak’ah of formal prayer. Al-Fatiha is central to salah, but the Quranic verses specifically establishing Ramadan fasting are in Al-Baqarah.