Ramadan (start) 2027

What this countdown tracks

Ramadan 2027 (1448 AH) – the holy month of fasting in Islam – is expected to begin on the evening of Sunday February 7, 2027, with the first day of fasting on Monday February 8, 2027 (subject to local moon sighting). The month-long observance is expected to end on approximately Tuesday March 9, 2027, followed by Eid al-Fitr on March 10.

About Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar, traditionally regarded as the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). The Quran (2:185) prescribes the fast of Ramadan as one of the five pillars of Islam (alongside the declaration of faith, prayer, charity, and the Hajj pilgrimage). For an estimated 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, the month is the most important annual religious observance.

The fast (sawm) runs from imsak (the time when the dawn becomes distinguishable, just before the Fajr prayer) to maghrib (sunset). For the entire daylight period, those observing abstain from food, water, smoking, sexual activity, and behaviors regarded as morally weakening – idle gossip, anger, dishonesty. The fast is an act of taqwa (God-consciousness), a discipline of the body in service of the spirit, and a deliberate experience of the hunger and thirst that the world's poorest face daily.

The month carries its own architecture. The first ten days are traditionally a period of Allah's mercy; the middle ten, of His forgiveness; and the last ten, of refuge from the fire. The last ten nights are particularly revered – on one of them (the precise night is unrevealed, but commonly observed on the 27th) the Night of Power occurred, in which the Quran (97:1-5) says "the angels and the Spirit descend... peace it is, until the rising of the dawn." Many Muslims observe i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) during the last ten nights.

How it's observed

Each day of Ramadan begins with suhoor – a predawn meal eaten before the Fajr prayer, typically dates, water, oats, eggs, and bread. From dawn to sunset, no food or water is consumed; pregnant women, the ill, the elderly, travellers, and children are exempt. The day's intensity is moderated by extra prayer, Quran recitation (many Muslims aim to read the entire 30-juz Quran across the month), and acts of charity.

At maghrib, the fast is broken with iftar – traditionally beginning with three dates and water, following the Prophet's practice, then opening into a full meal. Iftar is overwhelmingly a communal event: families gather, mosques host community iftars open to all, and many Muslim communities organize iftars for the homeless and the poor. After iftar comes the Isha prayer, followed by Taraweeh – special nightly congregational prayers performed only during Ramadan, in which the entire Quran is recited in the recommended portion of one juz per night, completing the full text by the 27th or 29th night.

The month is closed by zakat al-fitr – a mandatory charitable donation, typically equivalent to one meal per family member, paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer to ensure the poor can also celebrate.

Why this date specifically

The Hijri calendar is purely lunar – 354 or 355 days, with no intercalary correction – so Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier in the Gregorian calendar each year. The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilal) just after sunset on the evening that closes the previous month (Sha'ban). For 2027, astronomical calculations place the new crescent's first visibility on the evening of Sunday February 7, with the first day of fasting on Monday February 8 in most regions. Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura Council, the UK's HM Nautical Almanac Office, the European Council for Fatwa and Research, and individual national moon-sighting committees may declare the start one day apart depending on local sighting conditions.

What to watch for / notable observances in 2027

• February 7 evening – moon-sighting committees in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, and Iran announce the official start
• February 8 – first day of fasting (most regions)
• Daily Taraweeh prayers begin in mosques worldwide
• Late February – the last ten nights begin; i'tikaf retreats fill mosques
• Approximately March 5 (the 27th night) – Laylat al-Qadr most widely observed
• March 9 – expected last day of Ramadan
• March 10 – Eid al-Fitr expected (subject to moon sighting)
• Major Ramadan iftars at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul

Related festivals to track

Ramadan 2027 ends with Eid al-Fitr 2027 on approximately March 10. The other big Islamic Eid, Eid al-Adha 2027, follows on May 17. For comparable fasting periods in other traditions, see Lent in the Christian festival hub and Yom Kippur in the Jewish festival hub. The family overview is at the Islamic festival hub.

FAQ

When is Ramadan 2027? Expected to begin Monday February 8, 2027 (with the night of Sunday February 7 marking the start in most regions) and end approximately March 9, 2027 – subject to moon sighting.

How is Ramadan observed? Through dawn-to-sunset fasting, predawn suhoor, sunset iftar, intensified Quran recitation, nightly Taraweeh prayers, charity (zakat al-fitr at the close), and i'tikaf retreats in the last ten nights.

Is Ramadan a public holiday? Most Muslim-majority countries shorten work hours during Ramadan; Eid al-Fitr at the close is a multi-day public holiday in over 80 countries.

What is the typical greeting? "Ramadan Mubarak" (blessed Ramadan) or "Ramadan Kareem" (generous Ramadan); the response is "Khair Mubarak" (good blessings to you).