A "hilal" or moon sighting committee, made up of Islamic religious leaders, has been set up by the federation and will be looking out for the moon from Saturday.
When the moon is sighted according to the Islamic sharia rulings, Ramadan, a 30-day period where Islamic followers fast from dawn to dusk and abstain from smoking, swearing and sex, begins.
When it falls is calculated by the lunar calendar, which means it moves about 11 days each year on the Gregorian date that follows the solar calendar.
"Current fasting times for New Zealand would be among the shortest in the world, this will change as Ramadan moves into summer," said Dr Ali.
In the Swedish capital, Stockholm, where the summer sun doesn't set until after 10pm, the fasting period is over 20 hours.
In London, Muslims will be fasting for about 19 hours each day.
Mohammed Farid, 25, a language student from Saudi Arabia, said he felt "lucky" to be in New Zealand for the fasting month. His family back home will be required to fast for about three to four hours more than him. "Our religion requires us to fast during the daylight but Allah does not discriminate whether that is longer or shorter."
Should Ramadan start on Sunday, Muslims will have their suhour (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (sunset fast-breaking meal) 11 hours later.
Javed Khan, Fianz senior vice-president, said fasting was compulsory for Islamic followers except for children and the sick.
"It's a sacrifice we all have to make in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad."
The federation was urged at its annual meeting on Sunday to reopen the Avondale Islamic Centre, which was closed indefinitely for security reasons, in time for Ramadan.
The New Zealand Muslim Association, which owns the Blockhouse Bay Rd mosque, shut down the centre after its administrator was brutally attacked, vehicles damaged and security officials threatened.
"We were hoping that the mosque could be open again in time for the fasting month of Ramadan when larger numbers of Muslims than usual attend mosques to break their fast and perform special evening prayers," said David Blocksidge, who spoke at the meeting.
Fianz president Anwar Ghani said a committee was looking at the matter, but it was unlikely the mosque would be reopened by the weekend.
Dr Ghani said Ramadan was of "very special importance" to Muslims all over the world and was one of the five pillars of Islam.
The local Muslim population comprises mainly migrants from Africa, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and each have different fast-breaking meals. However, sweet dates are often the first food consumed, following a tradition set by the Prophet.
AUT University Professor of Diversity Edwina Pio said her studies found that in general Muslim migrants felt New Zealand was a "great country for harmony".
"In contrast to many of their source countries, in New Zealand, Muslims experience peace, security and more gender equality," she said.
"However Muslims also expressed the view that employers need to be trained in diversity strategies, policies and practices." She said there was still a tendency towards Islamophobia among employers, and even employees, in many workplaces.
"Many employers are skittish and sit on the fence when it comes to dealing with specific aspects of Muslims expressing their religion at work, and therefore fasting and prayer may not be appropriately addressed."
Massey University religious historian Peter Lineham, who is in Britain, said the growth of Islam in New Zealand had been far more peaceful than in the UK.
"In New Zealand, we have had much less of the phenomenon of great variety in mosque styles that has happened in Britain and the USA or even in Sydney as more combative imams take over mosques," Professor Lineham said. "I was fascinated to see the North London mosque and learn that it is now happily a local community mosque for many North Africans in Islington who were very unhappy when it was controlled by radicals."
Cleansing process for family
Ramadan is a time for self cleansing and renewal to Siraj Ali Akbar, a 39-year-old car mechanic from Mt Roskill.
The married father of three takes his religious fasting very seriously and wouldn't even swallow his own saliva during the 30 days.
Mr Akbar said fasting during the holiday month is done in accordance with the Koran.
"When we fast and give our stomachs a rest, I believe it is a cleansing process," said Mr Akbar, who moved here from Fiji in 2004.
Daughter Zafeera Ali, 10, will be fasting for the full required period for the first time this year after a practice run of about six hours last Ramadan.
"I think I can do it, but I also think it's going to be quite hard," said Zafeera, who goes to Marshall Laing School.
The family will start a Ramadan day with a pre-fasting meal, typically comprising of sweet dates, roti and curry before dawn.
The fast will end at sunset with evening prayers.
