Ramadan Guide: Fasting Rules, Iftar, Suhoor & Laylatul Qadr Explained

How the Dates of Ramadan Are Set

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, and because that calendar is lunar, Ramadan moves about 10 to 11 days earlier each year relative to the Gregorian calendar. That steady drift is why Ramadan slowly travels through all four seasons over a roughly 33-year cycle. The next Ramadan — Ramadan 2027 (1448 AH) — is, by astronomical calculation, expected to begin on the evening of Sunday, February 7, 2027. In the Islamic tradition the day starts at Maghrib (sunset), so Ramadan "begins" the evening before the first daytime fast. That makes Monday, February 8, 2027 the first full day of fasting. (Ramadan 2026 fell in February–March 2026, and Ramadan 2028 is expected in late January 2028.)

It is important to be honest about the uncertainty here. These dates are estimated, based on astronomical calculation of when the new crescent (the hilal) becomes visible. The actual start of Ramadan is confirmed by the local sighting of the crescent moonafter sunset on the 29th of the preceding month, Sha'ban. Different countries and communities follow different rules: some rely on naked-eye local sighting, some accept regional or global sightings, and some follow pre-calculated astronomical calendars. As a result, neighbouring countries — and even neighbouring mosques — sometimes start Ramadan a day apart. Treat every date in this guide as "expected, pending the moon sighting," and always confirm with your local mosque or moon-sighting authority before you commit to a start date.

As for when it ends: Ramadan is either 29 or 30 days, never more and never fewer, because a lunar month cannot exceed 30 days. Which one it is in any given year is not knowable in advance — it depends on whether the crescent of the next month, Shawwal, is sighted after the 29th day. For 2027 the most likely scenario is that the last day of fasting falls on Monday, March 8 or Tuesday, March 9, 2027, with Eid al-Fitr expected around Tuesday, March 9 or Wednesday, March 10, 2027. We return to Eid at the end of this guide.

The Next Ramadan Calendar (2027)

Below is a day-by-day overview of the expected calendar for the next Ramadan, mapping each fasting day to its Gregorian date. This assumes the majority astronomical estimate (first fast on Monday, February 8, 2027). If your local moon sighting shifts the start by a day, the whole calendar shifts with it.

One thing this table deliberately does not show is the clock time for Iftar and Suhoor. That is not an omission — it is because those times are entirely dependent on your location. Sunset in Cairo, London, Jakarta, and New York can differ by hours, and the times also drift a minute or two later each day as winter turns to spring. For exact Maghrib (Iftar) and Fajr (Suhoor cutoff) times for your own city, use the prayer-times tool on the homepage, or the full worldwide Ramadan 2027 calendar.

Remember that in Islamic reckoning each "night" begins at sunset of the previous day. So "the 27th night" of Ramadan is the night that begins at Maghrib on the 26th day. This catches many people off guard and matters a great deal when seeking Laylatul Qadr. For the full picture of how prayer times themselves shift during the month, see our guide to prayer times during Ramadan.

Iftar Time & How Sunset (Maghrib) Is Calculated

Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast, and it happens at exactly one moment: Maghrib, the start of sunset. The fast runs from the start of dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), so the instant the sun dips below the horizon, the fast is complete and you may eat. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged Muslims to hasten to break the fast — not to delay it once Maghrib has arrived — and the Sunnah is to break it on dates and water, then pray Maghrib.

The exact Maghrib time is not a guess; it is computed astronomically from your latitude, longitude, the date, and the sun's position. There are a few subtle points that explain why the "sunset" in a prayer app might differ slightly from a generic sunset shown elsewhere:

• Atmospheric refraction. The atmosphere bends light, so the sun is actually already slightly below the geometric horizon when you still see it. Calculations account for this so Maghrib reflects true sunset.
• The sun's disc, not its centre. Sunset is defined by the upper edge of the sun touching the horizon, not its centre, which shifts the time by a small amount.
• Your elevation. On a mountain or a high floor you see the sun for longer, so Maghrib is marginally later than at sea level.
• A small Sunni–Shia difference. Many in the Shia tradition wait until the redness in the eastern sky has passed before Maghrib, which can add roughly 10–15 minutes compared to the common Sunni timing at sunset.

Because all of this depends on where you are, your Iftar time is unique to your city and shifts a little each day. We break the whole calculation down — including the dua and the Sunnah sequence for opening the fast — in our dedicated article on how Iftar time is calculated.

Suhoor & Imsak Times

Suhooris the pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins. The Prophet ﷺ strongly encouraged it: "Eat Suhoor, for in Suhoor there is blessing." It is the meal that carries you through the fasting day, and the Sunnah is to delay it — to eat it close to dawn rather than in the middle of the night — so that the fasting hours feel shorter and you are nourished for as long as possible.

Three terms get confused here, and the distinction matters:

• Suhoor — the meal itself, which you can eat right up until Fajr.
• Fajr — the start of true dawn. This is the actual cut-off: once Fajr enters, eating and drinking must stop and the fast has begun. Fajr is also when you pray the dawn prayer.
• Imsak — a precautionary buffer (often around 10 minutes) that some calendars place before Fajr, marking a recommended time to stop eating so you are safely finished by the time Fajr actually enters. Imsak is a cautious convention, not the true cut-off. According to the majority of scholars, eating is permitted right up until Fajr begins; the Imsak buffer is a helpful margin of safety, not a separate obligation.

The practical rule is simple: stop eating by Fajr. If your local timetable lists an Imsak time, treat it as a gentle "wrap up now" rather than a hard deadline a few minutes early. And if you oversleep and miss Suhoor entirely, your fast is still completely valid — Suhoor is a recommended blessing, not a condition of the fast. For a fuller treatment, including what to eat for slow-release energy and what to do when you wake up late, read our guide to Suhoor time and Imsak explained.

Fasting Rules and Who Is Exempt

Fasting in Ramadan — Sawm — is the fourth pillar of Islam and is obligatory on every adult Muslim who is able. From the start of Fajr to Maghrib, a fasting person abstains from food, drink, and marital intimacy, and strives to guard the tongue and the heart from sin. The fast is more than hunger: it is a school of patience, gratitude, and God-consciousness (taqwa).

At the same time, Islam is a religion of ease, and the obligation to fast comes with genuine, mercy-based exemptions. The Quran itself says: "Allah intends ease for you, and He does not intend hardship for you" (Al-Baqarah 2:185). The following groups are exempt, each with its own ruling on whether the missed days are made up later (Qada) or compensated with a payment to feed the poor (Fidya):

• Travellers. A person on a genuine journey may break the fast and make up the missed days (Qada) afterwards. This is a concession, not a command — a traveller who finds fasting easy may choose to continue.
• The sick. Someone with a temporary illness that fasting would worsen, or that makes fasting genuinely difficult, may break the fast and make up the days later. For a chronic condition with no expectation of recovery, the person instead pays Fidya for each missed day.
• Pregnant and nursing women.If a woman fears for her own health or her child's, she may break the fast. Scholars differ on the make-up ruling — some require Qada, some Fidya, some both — so it is best to consult a knowledgeable scholar for your specific situation.
• Menstruating women and those in post-natal bleeding. A woman in her menses (hayd) or post-natal bleeding (nifas) does not fast during those days — fasting is in fact not permitted in that state — and she makes up the missed days (Qada) after Ramadan.
• Children before puberty. Fasting is not obligatory on children until they reach puberty. Many families encourage younger children to try partial or occasional fasts to build the habit gently, but it is never imposed on them.
• The very elderly and the chronically infirm. Those for whom fasting is no longer realistically possible are not required to fast and instead pay Fidya — feeding a needy person for each day missed.

A short word on the two compensations: Qada means making up the fast day-for-day at another time, before the next Ramadan if possible. Fidya is a payment — feeding a poor person — for those who cannot reasonably make the days up at all. Rulings on which applies, and on edge cases like pregnancy, can be nuanced and vary between schools of thought, so when in doubt, ask a qualified local scholar rather than relying on a general article. These exemptions are a mercy, not a loophole — the goal is sincere worship within your real capacity.

Laylatul Qadr — The Night of Power

The final ten nights of Ramadan hold the most precious night of the entire year: Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Decree (or Night of Power). The Quran describes it as "better than a thousand months" (Surah Al-Qadr) — worship on this single night carries reward greater than roughly 83 years of devotion. It is the night the Quran began to be revealed, and a night on which, the scholars say, the decrees for the coming year are confirmed.

Its exact date is deliberately hidden. The Prophet ﷺ instructed Muslims to seek it in the odd nights of the last ten — the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th nights — with the 27th night the strongest scholarly candidate. In the next Ramadan (2027), the last ten nights are expected to begin at Maghrib around Saturday, February 27, and the 27th night is expected to begin at Maghrib on Friday, March 5 and continue until Fajr on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Because the night is concealed precisely so that believers exert themselves across many nights, the wisest approach is to worship intensely on all the odd nights rather than relying on any single one.

How to spend it: pray Tarawih and Qiyam (night prayer), recite and reflect on the Quran, give charity, and make abundant dua. The Prophet ﷺ taught Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) a specific supplication for the night: "Allahumma innaka 'Afuwwun, tuhibbul 'afwa, fa'fu 'anni"— "O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me." For the full signs, the worship plan, and the hadith behind the 27th-night opinion, see our dedicated Laylatul Qadr guide.

Tarawih & Night Prayers in Ramadan

Tarawih is the special congregational night prayer offered only in Ramadan, prayed after the obligatory Isha prayer and before Witr. It is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah) — strongly emphasised, though not obligatory — and across the Muslim world the mosques fill nightly for it. In many communities the imam recites the entire Quran across the month during Tarawih, completing a khatm by the end of Ramadan.

There is a well-known and entirely valid difference over the number of units: 8 rak'aat(following the report of the Prophet's own night prayer) and 20 rak'aat (the practice formalised in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab and followed in the two Holy Mosques) are both sound positions. Neither is wrong; pray whichever your mosque follows and focus on the quality and presence of your prayer rather than counting units. Tarawih can be prayed in congregation at the mosque or at home, and it can be followed by Tahajjud in the last third of the night for those who wish to do more. For the step-by-step method, the 8-vs-20 discussion, and how to join if you arrive late, read our full Tarawih prayer guide.

Eid al-Fitr — How It's Set

Ramadan ends not with sorrow but with celebration: Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, on the first day of the month of Shawwal. After a month of fasting, prayer, and charity, Eid is a day of gratitude, family, and joy — and notably, fasting is forbidden on Eid day.

Because Eid al-Fitr depends on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent (just as the start of Ramadan depends on the Ramadan crescent), its date carries the same moon-sighting uncertainty. Based on the astronomical estimate, Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected around Tuesday, March 9 or Wednesday, March 10, 2027, depending on whether Ramadan completes 29 or 30 days. Again, this is expected, pending the moon sighting, and your local authority will confirm it on the evening of the 29th of Ramadan.

The day has its own rhythm: before the Eid prayer, Muslims pay Zakat al-Fitr— a small charity given on behalf of each member of the household so that the poor can also celebrate. It is best given a day or two before Eid and must be paid before the Eid prayer. On the morning itself, the Sunnah is to eat something sweet (traditionally dates), bathe, wear one's best clothes, recite the Takbeer on the way, and gather for the special two-rak'ah Eid prayer followed by a sermon. Then the celebration begins — visiting family, exchanging gifts, and sharing meals.

Common Questions About Ramadan

When is the next Ramadan?

Ramadan moves about 10–11 days earlier each Gregorian year. The next Ramadan — Ramadan 2027 (1448 AH) — is expected to begin on the evening of Sunday, February 7, 2027, with the first full day of fasting on Monday, February 8, 2027. This is an astronomical estimate. The actual start depends on the local sighting of the new crescent moon (the hilal), so your country or mosque may begin one day earlier or later. For the full worldwide calendar and your city's daily times, see the Ramadan 2027 calendar page.

How long is Ramadan?

Ramadan is either 29 or 30 days long — never more, never fewer — because the Islamic lunar month is governed by the moon. The exact length is not known in advance; it is decided by whether the crescent for the next month (Shawwal) is sighted after the 29th day, after which Eid al-Fitr follows immediately.

What time is Iftar and Suhoor during Ramadan?

Iftar is at Maghrib (the moment of sunset), and Suhoor must finish before Fajr (the start of dawn). Both times depend entirely on your location and shift by a minute or two each day as the days lengthen through Ramadan, so there is no single answer that fits everyone. Use a location-based prayer-times tool to get the exact Maghrib (Iftar) and Fajr (Suhoor cut-off) times for your own city, every day of the month.

Can I brush my teeth while fasting in Ramadan?

Yes. Brushing your teeth does not break the fast, as long as you do not swallow water or toothpaste. Most scholars permit using a toothbrush; some recommend the traditional miswak (tooth-stick) instead, especially after Dhuhr, and many advise using little or no toothpaste so there is nothing to accidentally swallow. If anything reaches your throat, spit it out and rinse gently without gulping.

Does water break the fast?

Deliberately drinking water — or eating or drinking anything — breaks the fast. However, if you drink or eat by genuine forgetfulness, your fast remains valid: the Prophet ﷺ said that one who forgets they are fasting and eats or drinks should complete the fast, "for it was Allah who fed them and gave them drink." Rinsing the mouth during wudu is fine as long as you do not swallow, and unintentionally swallowing a small amount while rinsing does not break the fast for most scholars.

When is Laylatul Qadr?

Laylatul Qadr falls on one of the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and its exact night is deliberately hidden. The strongest scholarly opinion places it on the 27th night, which in Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin at Maghrib on Friday, March 5 and continue until Fajr on Saturday, March 6. Because the night is concealed, worshippers are encouraged to seek it across all the odd nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th). See our Laylatul Qadr guide for the full worship plan.

A Final Word

Ramadan is a gift — a month in which the doors of mercy are opened wide and the believer's relationship with the Quran, with prayer, and with their own self is renewed. As you prepare, hold the dates lightly: they are our best estimate, but the final word belongs to the crescent moon and to your local community's confirmation. May Allah allow you to reach Ramadan in good health, accept your fasts and prayers, and grant you the blessings of Laylatul Qadr.

To plan the practical side, keep the prayer-times tool handy for your exact daily Iftar and Suhoor times, browse the full Ramadan 2027 calendar, and read our complete guide to prayer times during Ramadan for how the daily rhythm of Salah shifts across the month.