Ramadan Calendar 2026: Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, began in India from today, February 19, after the crescent moon was sighted on Wednesday evening. Practicing Muslims in India observe a dawn-to-dusk fast and offer special prayers during the month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people on Ramzan and said the auspicious month promotes the spirit of togetherness in the society.
“Ramzan Mubarak! May this auspicious month promote the spirit of togetherness in our society. May there be peace and prosperity everywhere,” Modi said in a post on X.
Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar (Hijri) calendar and fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. The length of the day-long fast depends on the timing of sunrise and sunset. Muslims eat before sunrise, called Sehri, and stop eating, drinking, smoking, and having marital relations until sunset, when they break their fast with another meal called Iftar.
Sehri and Iftar Timing of Ramadan 2026
Sehri is the pre-fast meal before sunrise. Indian Muslims today had their first Sehri of Ramadan 2026. The Sehri timing, which marks the start of fasting, varies from day to day and changes each day according to the sunrise in a particular city.
For example, on Thursday, the timing of Sehri in Delhi was 5:37 AM. This means that people who have observed the fast can eat whatever they can until 5:37. After this time they cannot eat until Iftar in the evening. In Hyderabad, Sehri timing was 5:27 AM on Thursday.
What is Sehri dua or supplication?
Although there is no single obligatory, fixed dua, it is commonly practiced to fast with sincere intention in the heart.
A widely accepted and recommended intention (dua) for fasting is: ‘Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri Ramadan’, which loosely translates to “I intend to fast tomorrow in the month of Ramadan”.
Ramzan Mubarak! May this auspicious month foster the spirit of togetherness in our society.
The timing also differs between Sunni and Shia by a few minutes.
In Mumbai. Muslims from the Sunni community will break their fast at 6:40 pm on Thursday, while in Bengaluru it will be at 6:26 pm.