Frank Rondel
Ramadan 2026 is expected to commence on February 18 or 19, subject to the sighting of the crescent moon, with daily fasting periods varying globally between 11.5 and 15.5 hours, reports customreceipt.com via Al Jazeera. The Islamic holy month will last either 29 or 30 days, depending on lunar observations.
Throughout Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset. The daily fast, which also includes refraining from smoking and marital relations during daylight hours, typically spans between 12 and 15 hours depending on geographic location. The practice is intended to cultivate “taqwa,” an Arabic term denoting heightened consciousness of God.
Muslims believe that Ramadan marks the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago. The month holds central religious significance in Islam and is observed by millions of people worldwide.
The starting date of Ramadan shifts annually, occurring 10 to 12 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. This is due to the Islamic Hijri calendar being lunar-based, with months lasting either 29 or 30 days. Because the lunar year is approximately 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan cycles through different seasons over a 33-year period.
In 2026, nearly 90 percent of the global population residing in the Northern Hemisphere will experience shorter fasting durations compared with previous years. Fasting hours are expected to continue decreasing annually until 2031, when Ramadan will coincide with the winter solstice — the shortest day of the year in that hemisphere.
Conversely, Muslims living in the Southern Hemisphere will observe longer fasting periods this year compared with 2025. Countries such as Chile, New Zealand and South Africa are projected to record some of the longest daylight fasting hours at the beginning of the month.
Due to the shorter lunar calendar year, Ramadan will be observed twice in 2030. The first observance is scheduled to begin on January 5, followed by a second commencement on December 26 of the same year.
Daylight duration differs substantially by latitude. As Ramadan 2026 falls during winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Muslims in that region will observe some of the shortest fasting hours globally, estimated at approximately 12 to 13 hours on the first day of the month. These durations will gradually increase as the month progresses toward spring.
In contrast, residents of southern latitudes are expected to fast between 14 and 15 hours at the start of Ramadan, with daylight hours gradually decreasing as the month advances.
Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, and iftar, the meal taken at sunset to break the fast, are scheduled according to local sunrise and sunset times. Exact fasting schedules differ by city and country, reflecting variations in geographic position and seasonal daylight changes.
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