Al-Baqarah, the surah containing the Quran’s Ramadan fasting verses, is chapter 2. Its name means “The Cow” or “The Heifer,” and it is the longest chapter of the Quran.
The fasting instructions appear in verses 2:183–187. These passages describe fasting as prescribed for believers, identify Ramadan as the month in which the Quran was revealed, and explain practical matters such as completing missed fasts and the limits of fasting during the night. Verse 2:185 is especially associated with the Ramadan obligation.
Al-Baqarah is classified as a Medinan surah, meaning it is traditionally associated with the period after Muhammad’s migration to Medina. It covers far more than fasting, including belief, law, charity, pilgrimage, family matters, warfare, and stories involving figures such as Adam, Abraham, and Moses.
A frequent error is confusing the chapter number with Ramadan’s place in the Islamic calendar. Ramadan is month 9; Al-Baqarah is Quran chapter 2.