Ramadan (start) 2028

What this countdown tracks

Ramadan 2028 (1449 AH) – the holy month of fasting in Islam – is expected to begin on Friday January 28, 2028 (with the night of Thursday January 27 marking the start, subject to local moon sighting). The month-long fast is expected to end on approximately Friday February 25, 2028, followed by Eid al-Fitr on February 26.

About Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hijri calendar – the month in which the Quran (2:185) was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). Fasting (sawm) during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside the shahada (declaration of faith), salah (five daily prayers), zakat (mandatory almsgiving), and the Hajj pilgrimage. For the world's roughly 1.9 billion Muslims, Ramadan is the most spiritually charged month of the year.

The fast is observed from imsak (the moment dawn becomes distinguishable, just before the Fajr prayer) until maghrib (sunset). Through the daylight hours, those observing abstain not only from food and water but also from smoking, sexual activity, and behaviors regarded as undermining the spirit of the fast – anger, gossip, dishonesty. The Quran describes the purpose of the fast as the cultivation of taqwa (God-consciousness): a discipline that detaches the believer from immediate physical needs and turns the attention to the divine.

The month carries its own internal rhythm. The first ten days are a period of mercy; the middle ten, of forgiveness; the last ten, of refuge from the fire. The last ten nights are the most spiritually important of the year – one of them (commonly observed on the 27th) is Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, of which the Quran (97:3) says it is "better than a thousand months." Many Muslims observe i'tikaf, a multi-day spiritual retreat in the mosque, during the last ten days.

How it's observed

The day in Ramadan begins with suhoor – a predawn meal eaten before the Fajr prayer, traditionally dates, water, eggs, oats, and bread, designed to sustain the body through the day. From dawn until sunset, no food or water is consumed. Exemptions apply to the ill, pregnant or nursing women, travellers, the elderly, menstruating women, and pre-pubescent children.

At sunset, the fast is broken with iftar – following the Prophet's practice, the meal traditionally begins with dates and water before opening into a full meal. Iftar is communal in spirit: families gather, mosques host iftars open to all, and many Muslim communities organize iftars for the poor and homeless. After iftar comes the Isha prayer, followed by Taraweeh – special nightly congregational prayers performed only during Ramadan, in which the imam recites approximately one juz (one-thirtieth) of the Quran per night, completing the full text by the end of the month.

In the last ten nights, Muslim observance intensifies: many spend the entire night in the mosque (qiyam al-layl), engaged in extra prayer, Quran recitation, and dua (supplication). Zakat al-fitr – a small mandatory charitable donation, typically equivalent to one meal per family member – is paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer to ensure the poor can also celebrate.

Why this date specifically

The Hijri calendar runs 354 or 355 days, about eleven days shorter than the solar year, and this gap moves Ramadan earlier each Gregorian year. The start of Ramadan is announced when the new crescent moon (hilal) is sighted just after sunset on the evening that closes Sha'ban, the eighth Hijri month. For 2028, astronomical calculations place the new crescent's first visibility on the evening of Thursday January 27, with the first fasting day on Friday January 28 in most regions. Some countries – following Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar, or relying on their own national moon-sighting committees in Pakistan, Morocco, India, or Indonesia – may begin one day earlier or later.

What to watch for / notable observances in 2028

• January 27 evening – moon-sighting committees announce the official start
• January 28 – first day of fasting in most regions
• Daily Taraweeh prayers begin worldwide
• Mid-February – the last ten nights begin; i'tikaf retreats fill mosques
• Approximately February 24 (the 27th night) – Laylat al-Qadr widely observed
• February 25 – expected last day of Ramadan
• February 26 – Eid al-Fitr expected
• Ramadan in 2028 falls in the Northern Hemisphere winter, with shorter daylight fasts (around 11–12 hours in temperate regions) compared to the long-summer Ramadans of 2014–2017

Related festivals to track

Ramadan 2028 ends with Eid al-Fitr 2028 on approximately February 26. The other big Islamic festival of 2028, Eid al-Adha, falls on May 5. For comparable fasting periods, 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 2028? Expected to begin Friday January 28, 2028 (with the night of Thursday January 27 marking the start) and end approximately February 25 – subject to local moon sighting.

How is Ramadan observed? Through dawn-to-sunset fasting, predawn suhoor, sunset iftar, increased Quran recitation, nightly Taraweeh prayers, charity, and i'tikaf retreats in the last ten nights.

Is Ramadan a public holiday? Most Muslim-majority countries adjust working 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" or "Ramadan Kareem"; the response is "Khair Mubarak."