February 18 to March 20, 2026
Ramadan 2026 began on the evening of Wednesday, February 18 and ends on the evening of Friday, March 20, followed by Eid al-Fitr on March 21. The date shifts roughly 11 days earlier each year because Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, not the Gregorian one.
Ramadan 2026 has passed. Set a reminder for Ramadan 2027 (expected February 7) so you're ready next year.
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The Islamic lunar calendar shifts the start date earlier by about 11 days each year.
| Year | Estimated start | Estimated end |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | March 11 | April 9 |
| 2025 | March 1 | March 30 |
| 2026 | February 18 | March 20 |
| 2027 | February 7 | March 9 |
| 2028 | January 28 | February 26 |
| 2029 | January 16 | February 14 |
| 2030 | January 6 | February 4 |
| 2031 | December 26 | January 25 |
All dates are estimates based on astronomical calculations. Actual dates depend on local moon sighting and may vary by one day.
The Islamic calendar has 12 lunar months totaling 354 or 355 days, about 11 days fewer than the 365-day Gregorian calendar. Ramadan is the ninth month of this lunar cycle. Each year it starts about 11 days earlier by Gregorian reckoning.
Over roughly 33 years, Ramadan cycles through every season. In 2026 it fell in late winter. By the early 2030s it will be a winter holiday. A decade later it will arrive in autumn. This constant drift is why you can't memorize the date or rely on "about the same time as last year."
A Ramadan reminder set a few weeks before the expected start date solves this. One setup, one less thing to track.
No. There is one Ramadan in 2026, running from February 18 to March 20. The confusion comes from the fact that the Islamic Hijri year is shorter than the Gregorian year. Some Gregorian years contain two Hijri new years (1 Muharram), but 2026 is not one of those years for Ramadan itself.
The next time Ramadan could theoretically span a Gregorian year boundary (starting in late December and ending in January) is around 2030-2031, when the estimated start date falls in late December.
Fasting during Ramadan lasts from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib). Because Ramadan 2026 falls in February and March, daylight hours are relatively short in the Northern Hemisphere.
| Location | Approx. fasting hours |
|---|---|
| New York, USA | 11.5 to 12.5 hours |
| London, UK | 11 to 13 hours |
| Dubai, UAE | 12 to 12.5 hours |
| Jakarta, Indonesia | 13 to 13.5 hours |
| Stockholm, Sweden | 10 to 13.5 hours |
For detailed fasting times and rules, see the Ramadan fasting rules and times guide.
Ramadan 2026 began on the evening of Wednesday, February 18, 2026 for most Muslims worldwide. The exact start date varied by one day in some regions depending on local moon sighting.
Ramadan 2026 ends on the evening of Friday, March 20, 2026, followed by Eid al-Fitr on Saturday, March 21. The month lasts 29 or 30 days depending on moon sighting.
No. Ramadan 2026 occurs once, in February and March. Because the Islamic calendar is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, some years have two Hijri new years, but 2026 has only one Ramadan.
Ramadan drifts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year because the Islamic lunar calendar has 354 or 355 days. In 2026, that drift places Ramadan in February, compared to March in 2025 and April in 2022.
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on the evening of Sunday, February 7, 2027. That is about 11 days earlier than Ramadan 2026, continuing the annual drift through the Gregorian calendar.
Ramadan 2026 lasts 30 days, from the evening of February 18 to the evening of March 20. Fasting hours vary by location, ranging from about 11.5 hours near the equator to over 15 hours at higher latitudes.
Set a free reminder for Ramadan 2027 and get notified before the month begins. No account needed.
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