How many days is Ramadan?
Ramadan is either 29 or 30 days long. It follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so it begins and ends with the sighting of the new crescent moon, and a lunar month never has 31 days or fewer than 29.
Why it is 29 or 30 days
The Islamic calendar is lunar. Each month starts when the new crescent moon (hilal) is seen after sunset, and the moon's cycle takes roughly 29.5 days. So every month, Ramadan included, ends up being either 29 or 30 days. Nobody knows for certain in advance which it will be in a given year when the community relies on sighting.
The Prophet ﷺ said: start fasting when you see the crescent and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is hidden from you by clouds, complete thirty days (Sahih al-Bukhari 1909). That is why the 29th evening of Ramadan is a time of waiting and checking announcements.
Is a 29-day Ramadan "less" than 30?
No. If the moon is sighted after 29 days, the month is complete and your fasting is complete. You don't owe an extra day, and you lose nothing in reward. Allah asks you to fast "the month", whatever its length turns out to be.
Why the dates move every year
- Lunar year: about 354 days, roughly 11 days shorter than the 365-day solar year.
- Moving season: Ramadan starts about 11 days earlier each year, so over about 33 years it passes through winter, spring, summer and autumn.
- Different start days: some communities follow local sighting, others follow Saudi Arabia or astronomical calculation, so neighbours sometimes begin a day apart. See Why do Muslims celebrate Eid on different days?
- Next year: Ramadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February 2027. See When does Ramadan start in 2027?
What about the length of each day?
The number of days is fixed at 29 or 30, but the length of each fast depends on where you live and the season. Each day runs from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib), so a winter Ramadan in London is short, while a summer one in northern Europe can be very long. The final ten nights are the most precious part of the month, because Laylat al-Qadr is among them. See What is Laylat al-Qadr and how do I find it?
If you miss days for a valid reason such as illness or travel, you make up only the days you missed after Ramadan.
- Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, never 28 or 31.
- It starts and ends with the sighting of the new moon.
- A 29-day Ramadan is complete; no extra day is owed.
- It moves about 11 days earlier every year.
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