Sweden's long summer days are presenting a challenge to Muslims fasting for Ramadan, which starts on Wednesday. Things are set to get even more challenging in 2015, when the fast will fall in June.

In northern Sweden, where dawn on Wednesday broke at 2:46 am, Muslims are expected to fast for over 18 hours, compared to only 13 hours in Mecca, for instance.

In many Muslim countries, the fast is often broken in the evening with long and elaborate meals. But with some Swedish Muslims experiencing only a few hours of darkness, this becomes harder to do.

Imam Mahmoud Khalfi at Stockholm Mosque told The Local that the principles of fasting at Ramadan were clear:

“There is still day and night, so Muslims should follow the rule that you fast during the hours of daylight.”

He pointed out that Sweden’s Muslims had to take the rough with the smooth:

“Sometimes Ramadan falls in the winter, and then the hours of daylight are very short.”

Indeed, in 2005, the month of fasting stretched from October to November, when daylight hours are short. But in coming years the fast will be even longer than this year - in 2015, it begins on 18th June, when many parts of Sweden don’t get dark at all.