131 days until Ramadan 2027

About Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month of fasting for Muslims around the world. Muslims believe it is the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the core practices of the faith.

The Islamic calendar is lunar, with about 354 days, so Ramadan starts about 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar and moves through every season over roughly 33 years. Each month begins with the new crescent moon. Some communities wait for a local sighting, while others follow a calculated calendar such as Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar, which this page uses, so the first day of fasting can differ by a day from place to place. The month lasts 29 or 30 days and ends with Eid al-Fitr.

During Ramadan, many Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, going without food and drink during daylight hours. The day begins with a pre-dawn meal called suhoor, and the fast is broken at sunset with iftar, traditionally starting with dates and water. Evenings often bring extra prayers called tarawih at the mosque, reading of the Quran, and charity. In the US, mosques and community groups host iftar dinners that are often open to neighbors of other faiths, and common greetings are "Ramadan Mubarak" and "Ramadan Kareem."

How we check dates and facts: see our sources.

Ramadan by year