how long do people fast during ramadan

During Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn until sunset for the entire month, which is usually 29 or 30 days. The daily fast is not 24 hours; it restarts each morning and ends each evening.

Daily fasting length

• Most people fast about 12–15 hours per day, depending on where they live and the season.

• In 2026, many places are seeing roughly 11.5 to 15.5 hours between the pre‑dawn meal (suhoor) and the sunset meal (iftar).

• Countries closer to the equator have fairly stable lengths, while far north or south can have noticeably longer or shorter days.

Whole month duration

• Ramadan lasts one lunar month, so Muslims fast for 29 or 30 consecutive days each year, depending on the moon sighting.

• After the month ends, the celebration of Eid al‑Fitr marks the end of fasting.

Simple example

Imagine in one city the sun rises at 6:00 a.m. and sets at 6:30 p.m.; Muslims there would fast roughly 12.5 hours that day, from just before dawn until just after sunset. This pattern continues daily throughout the month.