Ramadan 2026 Schedule: Muslims around the world have started fasting daily from sunrise to sunset as Ramadan 2026 has begun in India and other countries. This month-long period is marked by special prayers, reflections and charity.
The holy month, ninth in the Islamic lunar calendar, tempts families to eat to break their fast. Ramadan began on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, while it began on Thursday in India and neighboring countries.
The timing varies from country to country due to different moon sighting practices.
Fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, during which the pious Muslims abstain from fooddrinking, smoking, evil thoughts and actions, and marital relations from dawn to dusk.
Sehri and Iftar Timing of Ramadan 2026
In addition to special prayers, Ramadan includes two important meals each day. One: Sehri,pre-fast food before sunrise. The second is Iftar, the meal to break the fast after sunset.
The timing of Sehri and Iftar varies in different countries. The times also vary by a few minutes each day in accordance with sunrise and sunset. It varies from city to city in India.
For example, in Delhi, if the first roza is on Thursday, February 19, devotees will begin their fast by stopping eating and drinking at 5:37 a.m.—the end of Sehri. Muslims will observe the fast for about 12 hours and break the fast at 18:15, called Iftar.
The timing of Sehri and Iftar also varies among Muslims depending on the Sunni and Shia communities. The difference is usually a few minutes.
Every year, Ramadan starts 10 days earlier than the previous year. This is because the dates are determined by the lunar Hijri calendar used in Islam. Every month Hijri calendar is 29 or 30 days old.
Will there be two Ramadans in 2030?
For most nations in the northern hemisphere, the duration of fasting is shorter this year and will continue to decrease until 2031, when Ramadan will include the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, Al Jazeera reported.
For fasting Muslims living south of the equator, it is number of hours of fasting will be longer than last year, the report says.
As the lunar year is 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan will be observed twice in 2030 – first on January 5 and then on December 26.