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.