How long does Ramadan last?

29 or 30 days, depending on the actual length of that lunar month, ending with Eid al-Fitr.

What is significant about Ramadan?

It's the Islamic month of fasting (sawm) from dawn to sunset, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and is traditionally understood as when the Qur'an was first revealed.

Does this tool tell me the exact time fasting starts and ends each day?

No — this tool only finds the calculated start date of Ramadan for a year; for daily fasting start/end times at your location, use the Fasting Hours or Prayer Times tools.

Why does the calculated Ramadan start date sometimes differ from real-world news reports by a day?

News reports typically reflect an official moonsighting announcement, while this tool's date comes from a fixed tabular calculation — a well-documented, expected source of a 1-day difference, not an error.

Can I find out when Ramadan starts in past years too?

Yes — enter any Gregorian year, past or future, and the tool calculates 1 Ramadan's date using the same tabular method.

Is the Ramadan start date the same worldwide?

The underlying Hijri date (1 Ramadan) is the same everywhere, but because countries and communities rely on differing moonsighting practices, the locally observed start date can vary by a day between regions.

How is Laylatul Qadr related to Ramadan?

Laylatul Qadr ("The Night of Decree/Power") is a specific, especially significant night that Islamic tradition places within the last ten nights of Ramadan.

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Islamic Tools

Ramadan Date Calculator

Find the calculated start date of Ramadan for any Gregorian year.

🔒 Runs entirely in your browser — nothing here is ever uploaded

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Last reviewed 2026-09-06

About the Ramadan Date Calculator

Finds the calculated start date of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, for any Gregorian year.

100% Free Runs in Your Browser No Sign-Up Required

How to use it

Enter the Gregorian year you want to check.
Read the calculated start date of Ramadan (1 Ramadan) shown below.
Note the tabular-calculation disclosure beneath the result — check your local moonsighting authority for the officially observed date.
Try a different year to see how the start date shifts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year.

Formula

Finds the Hijri year whose 1 Ramadan falls within the requested Gregorian year, using the Umm al-Qura tabular calendar.

Worked example

Ramadan 2026 is calculated to start around February 17-18 — real-world moonsighting-based announcements for that year ranged from February 17 to 19 depending on the country, matching this tool's own disclosed day-of variance.

Interpreting your result

This is a calculated approximation, not an official religious determination — the real start of Ramadan is announced by moon-sighting authorities and can differ by a day from this calculation, sometimes varying by country.

Recommendations

• Check your local mosque or national moonsighting authority for the officially observed start date closer to the time.
• Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days depending on the actual month length that year.

Frequently asked questions

Because moon-sighting requirements and methods (local sighting vs. calculated/tabular) differ between countries and religious authorities — this is a real, well-known source of variation, not an error.