About Ramadan
Ramadan, called Ramzan in much of India, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when adult Muslims fast from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days. In 2027 the first fast in India is expected around Tuesday, 9 February 2027, but the exact day depends on local moon sighting, and the month ends with Eid al-Fitr.
For a month, the day of a Muslim household in India turns around two meals: one eaten in the dark before dawn, and one taken the minute the sun sets. Everything else, from office hours to the evening traffic near a mosque, adjusts to that rhythm.
When does Ramadan start in India?
Ramadan starts in India when a local moon-sighting committee reports the new crescent after sunset on the 29th of Shaban, the month before. If the moon is seen, the first night prayer, taraweeh, is held that evening and the first fast begins at dawn the next day. If it is not seen, Shaban runs to 30 days and Ramadan begins a day later.
India has no single national authority for this. Bodies such as Imarat-e-Shariah, the Markazi Chand Committee in Lucknow and the committees attached to major mosques in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad each announce for their own followers, and families follow the one their mosque trusts. In 2026, for example, the crescent was reported on the evening of 18 February and the first fast across most of India was on 19 February.
Kerala, and sometimes Ladakh, rely on their own sightings and often start or end the month a day apart from the rest of the country. Dawoodi Bohras follow a calculated Fatimid calendar, announced well in advance, so their Ramadan can begin a day earlier than the moon-sighting date.
Because the Islamic year is lunar, about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan moves roughly 11 days earlier every year. It passes through every season in a cycle of about 33 years, which is why some older Indians remember fasting through May heat and others through short winter days.
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.
What does a Ramadan fasting day look like?
A Ramadan fast runs from the first light of dawn to sunset, with no food, no water and no smoking in between. Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed in this month, so reading it, extra prayer and charity carry as much weight as the fast itself.
- Before dawn · SehriThe pre-dawn meal
Families wake around 3 or 4 am to eat something filling, often parathas, eggs, curd, fruit and plenty of water, and stop before the Fajr call.
- Daytime · RozaThe fast
Work and school go on as usual. Many people slow down in the afternoon, when hunger and thirst peak.
- Sunset · IftarBreaking the fast
At the Maghrib call the fast is opened with a date and water, following the Prophet's practice, then the evening prayer, then a proper meal.
- Night · TaraweehCongregational prayer
Long night prayers after Isha, in which many mosques recite the entire Quran over the month.
- Last ten nights · Shab-e-QadrThe Night of Power
Believed to fall on one of the odd nights of the last ten, it is the night the Quran's revelation began. Many stay up in prayer, and some go into itikaf, a retreat inside the mosque.
The month closes when the next new moon is sighted, and the following morning is Eid al-Fitr, which Indians often call Meethi Eid. Before the Eid prayer, each household pays fitra, a small set charity for every member of the family, so that poorer families can celebrate too. Many Muslims also pay their annual zakat during Ramadan.
Who does not have to fast during Ramadan?
People who are ill, elderly, travelling, pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating are excused from the Ramadan fast, and so are children who have not reached puberty. Those who can are expected to make up missed days later in the year. So a colleague who is eating lunch in Ramadan is not "skipping" anything, and it is not polite to ask why.
Many children try a first roza, often a half day, well before they are required to fast. Families treat it as a milestone, and relatives sometimes give the child a small gift or hold a little iftar in their honour.
How is Ramzan kept in different parts of India?
Ramzan in India has strong local flavours, most of them built around sehri and iftar.
| Where | What stands out |
|---|---|
| Old Delhi | Sehriwalas, also called munaadis, once walked the lanes of the walled city before dawn calling people by name to wake for sehri. Phones have replaced most of them, though a few still go out. |
| Kashmir | Sehar khwans go round before dawn for the same purpose, and a number still keep the practice going. |
| Hyderabad | Haleem, wheat and meat slow-cooked for hours, is the dish of the month. In 2010 Hyderabadi haleem became the first meat dish in India to get a Geographical Indication tag. |
| Tamil Nadu | Mosques cook nombu kanji, a rice porridge, in large pots and share it at iftar. In Kayalpattinam mosques make several varieties, including a lighter one for the elderly. |
| Mumbai | The lanes off Mohammed Ali Road fill with food stalls every evening after iftar. |
| Dawoodi Bohra homes | Families eat from a shared thaal, a large platter, beginning with a pinch of salt, and follow a calendar set by calculation, not sighting. |
What should you say to someone who is fasting?
"Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramzan Mubarak" means a blessed Ramadan, and anyone can say it. "Ramadan Kareem", generous Ramadan, is also common. A reply like "Khair Mubarak" or a simple thank you is normal. Most people who fast do not expect others to change anything, but small courtesies are noticed.
Ramzan Mubarak. I've moved our Thursday review to the morning so you're not stuck in a meeting close to iftar. Shout if anything else helps.
Ramadan Mubarak. May the fasts be easy on you, the sehris be full of your mother's parathas, and your duas all be answered.
Mubarak on your first roza. Keeping a fast at your age takes real determination, and everyone at home is proud of you.
Ramzan Mubarak, Khala. Please take care of your health this month, and don't fast on the days the doctor says you shouldn't.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful Ramadan. We'll keep calls short and early this month; just tell us what suits you.
Ramadan Mubarak from home. Hope you find a mosque nearby for taraweeh, and a decent plate of haleem somewhere.
May these last nights of Ramadan bring you peace, and may your prayers on Shab-e-Qadr be accepted.
Do
- Say "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramzan Mubarak" freely; it is welcome from people of every faith.
- Schedule meetings and team lunches away from the late afternoon and iftar time when you can.
- If you are invited to an iftar, arrive before sunset and wait for the host to open the fast before eating.
- Offer dates, fruit or sherbet if you are hosting an iftar for colleagues.
Avoid
- Don't ask "not even water?" more than once; people are asked it all month.
- Don't comment when a Muslim colleague is eating; they may be exempt for a reason they need not share.
- Avoid "Happy Ramadan" jokes about dieting or weight loss.
- Don't ask a fasting colleague to taste food or join a working lunch as a test of politeness.
- Roza
- Hindi-Urdu word for the fast, from the Persian; sawm in Arabic.
- Sehri
- The pre-dawn meal, also called suhoor.
- Iftar
- The meal that breaks the fast at sunset.
- Taraweeh
- Extra night prayers held in congregation through Ramadan.
- Shab-e-Qadr
- The Night of Power, Laylat al-Qadr in Arabic, in the last ten nights.
- Itikaf
- A spiritual retreat in the mosque, usually for the last ten days.
- Fitra
- Sadaqat al-fitr, the charity paid for each family member before the Eid prayer.
For other Islamic dates in the year, see Eid al-Adha, Muharram and the 2027 calendar.
How to wish someone on Ramadan
A Ramadan wish should respect that the person is doing something hard every day for a month. "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramzan Mubarak" works from anyone, of any faith. Speak to patience, family iftars and good health through the fast rather than to parties or gifts, and offer something practical if you can: a later meeting, an early finish, a box of dates.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is Ramadan in 2026 and 2027?
Ramadan is set by the Islamic lunar calendar, so it falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 9 days earlier than in 2026. Ramadan runs 30 days.
- 2026may vary by location
- 2027may vary by location
Frequently asked questions
When is Ramadan in 2027?
Ramadan 2027 falls from Tuesday, 9 February 2027 to Tuesday, 9 March 2027, beginning at sunset the evening before. The exact date can vary by location and local calendar, so confirm with your community.
Why does Ramadan come earlier every year?
Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. So Ramadan begins roughly 11 days earlier each year and moves through all the seasons over about 33 years.
Why does Ramadan sometimes start on different days in India?
India has no single moon-sighting authority, so regional committees announce the start based on their own reports of the crescent. Kerala often differs from north India by a day, and Dawoodi Bohras use a calculated calendar that can begin a day earlier.
Can you drink water during a Ramadan fast?
No. A Ramadan fast means no food, no water and no smoking from dawn until sunset. Sehri, the meal before dawn, is the last chance to drink until the fast is opened at iftar.
Can non-Muslims wish someone Ramadan Mubarak?
Yes. "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramzan Mubarak" is a warm, correct greeting from anyone, and most Muslims appreciate a colleague or neighbour who remembers the month.
What is the difference between sehri and iftar?
Sehri is the meal eaten before dawn, before the fast begins. Iftar is the meal at sunset that breaks the fast, usually opened with a date and water.
What is Shab-e-Qadr?
Shab-e-Qadr, or Laylat al-Qadr, is the night Muslims believe the revelation of the Quran began. It is sought on the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, and many people spend those nights in prayer.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .