🕌 Islamic
When Is Ramadan and Eid This Year?
Ramadan, Eid and the other Islamic dates move about 11 days earlier each year. Learn why they shift, how the dates are decided, and how to count down to the next one.
Updated 3 September 2026 · 2 min read
"When's Ramadan this year?" is one of the most-searched questions of the Islamic year — and the answer changes annually, because the Islamic calendar doesn't line up with the Gregorian one. Here's how the major dates are set and how to know when the next one falls.
Why the dates move every year
The Islamic calendar is lunar, so its year is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. Every Islamic date — Ramadan, both Eids, the New Year — therefore falls roughly 11 days earlier each Gregorian year, gradually drifting through the seasons. Our guide on how the Hijri calendar works explains the mechanism in full.
The main dates in the Islamic year
- Ramadan (1 Ramadan) — the start of the month of fasting.
- Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal) — the festival marking the end of Ramadan.
- Day of Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijjah) — the key day of the Hajj, observed with fasting by many not on pilgrimage.
- Eid al-Adha (10 Dhu al-Hijjah) — the festival of sacrifice, during the Hajj season.
- Islamic New Year (1 Muharram) — the first day of the Hijri year.
- Day of Ashura (10 Muharram) — a day of fasting for many Muslims.
How the exact day is decided
There's a subtlety that catches people out: the start of a month — and so the exact date of Ramadan or Eid — traditionally depends on the sighting of the new moon. Different countries and communities may confirm the sighting a day apart, which is why Eid is sometimes observed on slightly different days in different places. A calculated calendar gives a very close estimate, but the official local date is confirmed by moon sighting.
Counting down to the next one
To see how long until the next Ramadan, Eid or other observance — and the Gregorian date it's estimated to fall on — the Islamic events countdown tracks each of the major dates with a live day-by-day countdown. It's handy for planning around Ramadan and for timing things like Zakat al-Fitr, which is due before the Eid prayer.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Ramadan start on a different date each year?
- Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and its year is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. Ramadan and every other Islamic date fall roughly 11 days earlier each year, moving gradually through the seasons over about a 33-year cycle.
- Why is Eid sometimes on different days in different countries?
- Because the start of the month traditionally depends on sighting the new moon, and the sighting can be confirmed a day apart in different places. Calculated calendars give a close estimate, but the official date is set locally by moon sighting.