How Many Days Until Ramadan?
When is Ramadan?
Ramadan starts on the first day of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Because that calendar is lunar, Ramadan begins about 11 days earlier each year.
Ramadan is the holy month of fasting for Muslims, from dawn to sunset, for 29 or 30 days. The start is confirmed by sighting the new crescent moon, so the date can differ by a day between countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the UK. The dates below are the expected start dates.
Ramadan dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 18, 2026 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | February 8, 2027 | Monday |
| 2028 | January 28, 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | January 16, 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | January 5, 2030 | Saturday |
Expected dates. Lunar holidays can move by a day depending on moon sighting and location.
What a day in Ramadan looks like
Muslims eat a pre-dawn meal called suhoor and break the fast at sunset with iftar, often starting with dates and water as the Prophet Muhammad did. Many attend extra night prayers called taraweeh, and the last ten nights include Laylat al-Qadr, considered the holiest night of the year.
Fasting hours depend on where you live and the time of year, ranging from about 11 hours to more than 18 hours a day.
Counting down to something else?
Use the days until any date calculator, or set a live countdown timer for a birthday, exam, wedding, or trip.