Ramadan 2026 begins on or around Tuesday, 17 February 2026 and ends on Friday, 20 March 2026 with Eid al-Fitr. The exact start depends on local moon sighting — Saudi Arabia uses the Umm al-Qura calendar, while most Muslim communities wait for the visual crescent (hilal).
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar — see /islamic-calendar for the full Hijri context. It's the holiest month for the world's 1.9 billion Muslims, marked by dawn-to-sunset fasting (sawm), increased prayer, and community.
Quick answers: Ramadan 2026
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Start (Saudi calendar) | ~17 February 2026 |
| End (Eid al-Fitr) | ~20 March 2026 |
| Duration | 29 or 30 days |
| Hijri year | 1447 AH |
| Laylat al-Qadr | One of the last 10 odd nights (most likely 27 Ramadan = ~16 March) |
| Next year (Ramadan 1448) | ~6 February 2027 |
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam — the month of fasting (sawm). From dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), observers abstain from:
- Food and drink (including water)
- Smoking
- Sexual activity
- Negative speech and behavior
The fast is broken at sunset with iftar, traditionally with dates and water following the prophet Muhammad's example, then a fuller meal. A pre-dawn meal called suhoor sustains the day's fast.
Children, the elderly, the sick, travelers, pregnant or nursing women, and menstruating women are exempt from fasting and may make up days later or feed the poor (fidya) instead.
How long is the fast?
Fasting hours depend on your latitude. In 2026, Ramadan falls in late winter/early spring (Northern Hemisphere), so days are moderate.
| City | Fasting hours (~15 Mar 2026) |
|---|---|
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 13h 30m |
| Cairo, Egypt | 13h 25m |
| Istanbul, Türkiye | 13h 15m |
| Jakarta, Indonesia | 13h 00m |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 13h 00m |
| London, UK | 13h 15m |
| New York, USA | 12h 45m |
| Sydney, Australia | 12h 30m |
| Reykjavik, Iceland | 14h 30m |
For your specific city's fasting times, check our sunrise/sunset tool.
Ramadan dates by country (2026)
Most Muslim-majority countries follow the lunar calendar via local moon-sighting committees. Slight differences occur:
- Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait — typically follow Mecca's announcement.
- Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei — coordinate via national religious councils.
- Egypt, Türkiye — government astronomical calculations.
- Iran — separate sighting, often 1 day later.
Expected start dates:
- 17 Feb 2026: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar
- 17 or 18 Feb 2026: Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt
- 18 Feb 2026: Iran, parts of South Asia
Key dates within Ramadan 2026
- First night of Tarawih — 16 Feb evening
- Mid-Ramadan — 4 Mar
- Laylat al-Qadr possible nights — 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 Mar (last 10 odd nights)
- Most likely Laylat al-Qadr — night of 27 Ramadan = ~16 March
- Eid al-Fitr — ~20 March
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power)
Laylat al-Qadr is described in the Quran as "better than a thousand months." It's the night the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the prophet Muhammad. The exact date is unknown but believed to fall in one of the last 10 odd nights of Ramadan.
Most communities emphasize the 27th night (night of 27 Ramadan, ending 28 Ramadan = ~16 March 2026 evening). Devout Muslims spend the night in prayer, recitation, and reflection.
Daily routine in Ramadan
A typical day during Ramadan:
- ~5:00 AM — Wake for suhoor (pre-dawn meal).
- Before dawn — Fajr prayer and beginning of fast.
- Throughout day — Work or school continues; spiritual focus increases.
- 5:00-6:00 PM (varies) — Maghrib prayer at sunset; iftar breaks the fast (dates + water + meal).
- ~8:00-10:00 PM — Isha prayer followed by Tarawih (special Ramadan night prayers, ~1-2 hours).
- Sleep — Often shorter or split, with families awaking for late-night Quran reading.
Traditions across the Muslim world
- Indonesia & Malaysia — bedug drums marking iftar; community iftars at mosques; sweet treats like kolak.
- Türkiye & Middle East — ramadan pide bread; cannon-fire signaling iftar in Cairo and Istanbul; lantern (fanous) decorations in Egypt.
- South Asia — biryani, samosas, jalebi; rohu's qiyam ul-layl; halqas (study circles).
- West Africa — millet porridge for suhoor; community thieboudienne meals.
- Diaspora communities — multicultural iftar potlucks; mosque outreach.
Eid al-Fitr — the festival ending Ramadan
Eid al-Fitr falls on 1 Shawwal — the first day after Ramadan ends. In 2026 this is ~20 March.
Traditions include:
- Eid prayer in the morning (mosque or large open ground)
- New clothes for children
- Eidi — gifts and money for kids
- Feasts and family visits
- Sweets like baklava, kheer, lapis, and date cookies
For dates by country, see our Eid al-Fitr 2026 country guide.
Related references
- Islamic Hijri calendar 2026
- Eid al-Fitr 2026 dates by country
- Saudi Arabia 2026 calendar
- UAE 2026 calendar
- Indonesia 2026 calendar
- Ramadan holiday detail
Ramadan dates depend on local moon sighting — actual start may differ by ±1 day country-to-country. Always confirm with your local mosque or national religious authority.