ramadan
Ramadan 2026
Ramadan 2026 — sourced from authentic Quran and hadith references.
Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin on the evening of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, and end around Wednesday, March 18, 2026, subject to the sighting of the crescent moon in each region. This will mark the ninth month of the Islamic year 1447 AH, the month in which the Qur'an was first revealed and in which fasting is prescribed upon every capable believer.
When Does Ramadan 2026 Begin
The Islamic calendar is lunar, so the start of Ramadan shifts each Gregorian year by roughly ten to eleven days earlier. Based on astronomical calculation, the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH is projected to occur in mid-February 2026, with the first day of fasting likely falling on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and the first night of Taraweeh on the evening of Tuesday, February 17.
However, many Muslim communities and scholarly councils still rely on physical moon sighting (ru'yah) rather than calculation alone. This means the exact start date may vary by one day depending on your country and the ruling of your local authority. Muslims in North America, Europe, the Gulf, and South Asia should confirm the date with their local masjid or national moon-sighting committee closer to the time.
Allah tied the obligation of fasting to the actual sighting of the month:
Shahru Ramadana alladhee unzila feehi al-Qur'anu hudan lin-nasi wa bayyinatin mina al-huda wal-furqan. Faman shahida minkumu ash-shahra falyasumhu.
"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion. So whoever of you sights the month, let him fast it." Quran · Al-Baqarah 2:185
Why This Month Is Distinct
Ramadan is not simply a season of hunger and thirst. It is the month Allah chose to send down His final revelation to humanity. The Qur'an itself testifies:
Inna anzalnahu fee laylatin mubarakatin inna kunna mundhireen.
"We sent it down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning." Quran · Ad-Dukhan 44:3
The "blessed night" mentioned here is Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Decree, which falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan. A single act of worship on that night is described elsewhere in the Qur'an as better than a thousand months. For Ramadan 2026, the last ten nights are expected to begin around the evening of Friday, March 6, 2026, when the sincere believer intensifies prayer, remembrance, and seeking of forgiveness.
Approximate Fasting Times in 2026
Because Ramadan 2026 falls in February and March, most of the northern hemisphere will experience relatively moderate fasting lengths compared to summer Ramadans of a decade prior. As a general guide:
- London, UK: approximately 12 to 13 hours per day
- New York, USA: approximately 12 hours per day
- Toronto, Canada: approximately 12 hours per day
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: approximately 13 hours per day
- Cairo, Egypt: approximately 12 to 13 hours per day
- Jakarta, Indonesia: approximately 13 hours per day
- Sydney, Australia: approximately 13 to 14 hours per day (early autumn)
These figures shift by a few minutes each day as the month progresses. Always confirm suhoor and iftar times using a reliable local prayer timetable rather than a generic global app.
Preparing Spiritually Before It Arrives
The righteous predecessors treated the six months before Ramadan as preparation and the six months after as gratitude. With Ramadan 2026 only a short time away, this preparation is not premature — it is prudent. Consider the following practical steps:
Repair your relationship with the Qur'an. Begin now with a small daily portion, even half a page, so that by the time Ramadan arrives, recitation is already a habit rather than an imposition. Allah described the month itself by the Qur'an — the two are inseparable.
Rebuild the habit of standing in prayer. Start with two rak'ahs of tahajjud once or twice a week. Taraweeh will then feel like an extension of an existing practice rather than a shock.
Settle your obligations. If you have missed fasts from Ramadan 2025 that were never made up due to illness, travel, menstruation, or other legitimate reasons, complete them before the new Ramadan enters. Allah reminded us that He intends ease, not hardship, and provided the concession of making up missed days: "whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number of days from other days." Quran · Al-Baqarah 2:185
Plan your charity. Zakat al-Fitr is due before the Eid prayer, and many Muslims also give the bulk of their annual Zakat during Ramadan because of the multiplied reward. Calculating the amount in advance prevents last-minute confusion.
Key Dates to Mark for Ramadan 1447 AH
Subject to moon sighting, the following approximate dates apply to Ramadan 2026:
- First Taraweeh: evening of Tuesday, February 17, 2026
- First day of fasting: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
- Start of the last ten nights: evening of Friday, March 6, 2026
- Most likely odd nights for Laylat al-Qadr: nights of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th of Ramadan
- Expected Eid al-Fitr: Thursday, March 19, 2026 (or Friday, March 20, depending on sighting)
These dates are estimates. Every serious Muslim should follow the announcement of a trusted local authority.
Making the Month Count
A month passes quickly. Thirty days of iftar photographs and late-night gatherings can slip by without any real change to the heart. The verse that legislates fasting closes with a purpose clause that is easy to overlook: "so that you may be grateful to Him." Quran · Al-Baqarah 2:185
Gratitude is the fruit Allah wants from this month. Not merely thinner waistlines, not merely completed recitations, but hearts that recognise the guidance they have been given and respond with obedience for the remaining eleven months. Whoever reaches Ramadan 2026 has been granted something denied to many who were with us last year. Treat it as the gift it is.