When does Ramadan start?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The Islamic calendar is purely lunar: its 12 months add up to about 354 days, so Ramadan begins about 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar and moves through all the seasons over roughly 33 years.
Each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. Many countries rely on local or regional moon sighting, while others use astronomical calculations, so Ramadan can start a day apart in different countries. The dates on this page are the expected first days based on calculation; your local mosque or religious authority announces the confirmed date, usually the evening before.
How long is Ramadan?
Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on when the next new moon is seen. It ends with Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, on the first day of the month of Shawwal. Because of the 11-day shift, Ramadan will fall twice in the Gregorian year 2030: starting around 5 January and again around 26 December.
Ramadan dates for the coming years
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 18, 2026 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | February 8, 2027 | Monday |
| 2028 | January 28, 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | January 16, 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | January 5, 2030 | Saturday |
| 2030 | December 26, 2030 | Thursday |
| 2031 | December 15, 2031 | Monday |
Frequently asked questions
Why does Ramadan move every year?
The Islamic calendar follows the moon, and 12 lunar months are about 354 days, roughly 11 days shorter than a solar year. So Ramadan starts about 11 days earlier each year.
Is the Ramadan date on this page exact?
It's the expected date from astronomical calculation. The official start depends on the moon sighting announced in your country and can be a day later.
The countdown runs to midnight at the start of the day in your own time zone. Dates of religious and lunar holidays can differ by a day between countries.