When does Ramadan begin?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hijri (Islamic lunar) calendar - the holy month of fasting (sawm) observed by Muslims worldwide. The exact start date varies each year on the Gregorian (civil) calendar because the Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. This calculator shows you the exact Gregorian date of the next Ramadan, computed from the standard Islamic tabular calendar, along with the day of the week and the days remaining.
Why Ramadan moves earlier each year
The Hijri lunar year is approximately 354 days (12 months of 29 or 30 days). The Gregorian solar year is 365.25 days. So Ramadan advances about 11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar each year. Over a 33-year cycle, Ramadan rotates through all four seasons - from a summer Ramadan to a winter one and back. This is by design: the lunar calendar is anchored to the moon, not the sun, so worship times move through the natural year.
Calculation vs moonsighting
There are two ways the start of Ramadan is determined. The tabular calendar (used by this calculator) is a fixed astronomical formula that predicts the date in advance. Official sighting (used by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and many other Muslim-majority countries) confirms the start visually on the 29th of Sha'ban: if the new crescent moon is sighted, Ramadan begins the next day; if not, Sha'ban runs 30 days and Ramadan begins the day after. The two methods agree most of the time but can differ by ±1 day.
Key dates within Ramadan
The month begins on 1 Ramadan with the first day of fasting from dawn to sunset. Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power) is traditionally observed on 27 Ramadan, though many scholars hold it falls on one of the odd nights of the final 10 days. The month ends on 29 or 30 Ramadan, depending on the lunar cycle. Eid al-Fitr - the festival of breaking the fast - falls on 1 Shawwal (the day after Ramadan ends).
Ramadan in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, Ramadan is marked by adjusted working hours (typically a 6-hour workday for Muslim employees), special evening Tarāwīh prayers, communal iftar meals at sunset, and increased pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. Schools and government offices follow shorter schedules. The Saudi government's start date is determined by the Supreme Court based on moonsighting committees in Riyadh, Mecca, Medina, and other cities - this is the date that takes precedence over any algorithmic calculation for Saudi residents.
Preparing for Ramadan
Many families begin preparations 1–2 weeks before Ramadan: planning iftar menus, stocking up on dates (a traditional first food for breaking the fast), organizing schedules around prayer times, and setting goals for Quran reading and charity (zakat). The countdown above helps you mark the calendar - bookmark this page and check it daily as Ramadan approaches.
Frequently asked questions
The Gregorian date is shown in the hero card above - it's computed live from today's date using the standard Islamic tabular calendar. Note that the actual official start in Saudi Arabia and many other countries is confirmed by moonsighting on the 29th of Sha'ban, and may differ from the predicted date by ±1 day.
Because the Hijri (lunar) year is about 354 days while the Gregorian (solar) year is 365.25 days. The 11-day difference means Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar each year. Over 33 years, Ramadan cycles through all four seasons.
Yes - exactly. Like every Hijri month, Ramadan is either 29 or 30 days, depending on whether the new crescent moon is sighted (or, in tabular calendars, predicted) on the 29th. Our calculator tells you which it will be for the upcoming Ramadan.
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) is considered the holiest night of the year in Islam - the night the first verses of the Quran were revealed. Tradition places it among the odd nights of the last 10 of Ramadan, most commonly on the 27th. Many Muslims observe extra prayer (qiyam) during all of the last 10 nights to maximize their chances of catching it.
Most Muslim-majority countries - including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Pakistan, and Indonesia - rely on official moonsighting committees, not algorithmic prediction. The tabular calendar we use is a mathematical approximation accurate to ±1 day. Always defer to your country's official announcement for religiously binding dates.
Sources
- Umm al-Qura calendar - official Saudi Hijri calendar— King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
- Ramadan - religious significance and observance— Encyclopedia Britannica
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