Muslims commemorate Ramadan fasting from the crescent moon’s first appearance to the next for 29 to 30 days. It is the holy fasting month and the ninth month in the Islamic calendar.
When is Ramadan in 2023?
The fasting month of Ramadan 2023 is likely to begin on Wednesday, March 22, and end on Friday, April 21. It lasts for 10 to 21 hours from sunrise to sunset, relying on where you live in the world. It is the month of prayer, fasting, community, and reflection.
The annual observance of Ramadan is a celebration of Muhammad’s first revelation and is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims celebrated this month with community prayers and iftars. Eid Al Fitr is the last day of this fasting month when a grand celebration and feast is held.
Ramadan starts 10 to 12 days in advance every year. It happens because the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar “Hijri” calendar, which consists of 29 to 30 days long. The pre-dawn meal is called Suhur, and the dinner after breaking the fast is called Iftar.
The timings of daylight hours differ from one nation to another. Muslims who reside in southernmost countries will fast for approximately 11 hours, while those who live in northernmost countries will fast for more than 18 hours.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the fasting hours are slightly shorter this year than in other years and will continue to lessen till 2032. In 2032, Ramadan will be observed during the winter solstice and the year’s shortest day.
From April 20 to August 22, the sun does not set in northern cities. However, Fatwas have been released for those Muslims who reside in the midnight sun and polar night countries following Mecca, Saudi Arabia, or other Muslim countries’ rules or timetables.
Here we curated a list of the timing of fasting hours of cities worldwide. The fasting hours and timing will rely on the day and methods of calculation:
Longest Fasting Hours:
| CITIES | FASTING HOURS |
|---|---|
| Nuuk, Greenland: | 19-20 hours |
| Reykjavik, Iceland: | 19-20 hours |
| Helsinki, Finland: | 18-19 hours |
| Stockholm, Sweden: | 17-18 hours |
| Glasgow, Scotland, UK: | 17-18 hours |
| Oslo, Norway: | 17-18 hours |
| Copenhagen, Denmark: | 17-18 hours |
| Moscow, Russia: | 17-18 hours |
| Berlin, Germany: | 16-17 hours |
| Amsterdam, the Netherlands: | 16-17 hours |
| Warsaw, Poland: | 16-17 hours |
| London, UK: | 16-17 hours |
| Paris, France: | 16-17 hours |
| Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan: | 16-17 hours |
| Brussels, Belgium: | 16-17 hours |
| Zurich, Switzerland: | 16-17 hours |
Shortest Fasting Hours:
| CITIES | FASTING HOURS |
|---|---|
| Christchurch, New Zealand: | 11-12 hours |
| Puerto Montt, Chile: | 11-12 hours |
| Canberra, Australia: | 11-12 hours |
| Montevideo, Uruguay: | 11-12 hours |
| Cape Town, South Africa: | 11-12 hours |
| Ciudad del Este, Paraguay: | 11-12 hours |
| Buenos Aires, Argentina: | 11-12 hours |
| Johannesburg, South Africa: | 11-12 hours |
| Harare, Zimbabwe: | 12-13 hours |
| Brasilia, Brazil: | 12-13 hours |
| Jakarta, Indonesia: | 12-13 hours |
| Luanda, Angola: | 12-13 hours |
| Aden, Yemen: | 13-14 hours |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: | 13-14 hours |
| Dakar, Senegal: | 13-14 hours |
| Abuja, Nigeria: | 13-14 hours |
| Colombo, Sri Lanka: | 13-14 hours |
| Bangkok, Thailand: | 13-14 hours |
| Khartoum, Sudan: | 13-14 hours |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: | 13-14 hours |
| Singapore: | 13-14 hours |
| Nairobi, Kenya: | 13-14 hours |
Other Cities Fasting Hours:
| CITIES | FASTING HOURS |
|---|---|
| Bucharest, Romania: | 15-16 hours |
| Ottawa, Canada: | 15-16 hours |
| Sofia, Bulgaria: | 15-16 hours |
| Rome, Italy: | 15-16 hours |
| Madrid, Spain: | 15-16 hours |
| Lisbon, Portugal: | 15-16 hours |
| Athens, Greece: | 15-16 hours |
| Beijing, China: | 15-16 hours |
| Washington, DC, US: | 15-16 hours |
| Pyongyang, North Korea: | 15-16 hours |
| Ankara, Turkey: | 15-16 hours |
| Rabat, Morocco: | 14-15 hours |
| Tokyo, Japan: | 14-15 hours |
| Islamabad, Pakistan: | 14-15 hours |
| Tehran, Iran: | 14-15 hours |
| Baghdad, Iraq: | 14-15 hours |
| Beirut, Lebanon: | 14-15 hours |
| Damascus, Syria: | 14-15 hours |
| Cairo, Egypt: | 14-15 hours |
| Jerusalem: | 14-15 hours |
| Kuwait City, Kuwait: | 14-15 hours |
| Gaza City, Palestine: | 14-15 hours |
| New Delhi, India: | 14-15 hours |
| Hong Kong: | 14-15 hours |
| Dhaka, Bangladesh: | 14-15 hours |
| Muscat, Oman: | 14-15 hours |
| Kabul, Afghanistan: | 14-15 hours |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: | 14-15 hours |
| Doha, Qatar: | 14-15 hours |
| Dubai, UAE: | 14-15 hours |
What is the main purpose of Ramadan?
Muslims avoid not only food and drink but also tobacco, alcohol, sexual relations, evil feelings, and immoral behavior. Additionally, they are dedicating themselves to the Quran’s recitation and prayer. There’s a belief when Ramadan or Ramzan comes, devils are tied with chains, and hell doors are closed. On the other side, the gates of heaven are opened. Muslims believe that the worship and fasting in the month of Ramadan turn all their sins into virtues.
