How Many Hours Do Muslims Fast For During Ramadan?

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

The annual fasting month of Ramadan, a pillar of Islam, involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn until sunset. The duration of this fast is not a fixed number for all Muslims; rather, it is a dynamic period determined by a person's location and the time of year. This leads to significant variation, with fasting hours ranging from approximately 11 to over 20 hours across the globe.

Quick Summary

The duration of Muslim fasting during Ramadan is not uniform globally, as it is calculated from dawn to sunset based on a person's geographical location. Factors such as the Earth's orbit and tilt cause fasting hours to fluctuate yearly and differ dramatically between countries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Key Points

Variable Duration: The number of fasting hours for Muslims is not fixed and changes depending on geographical location and the time of year.
Dawn to Dusk Fast: The core principle is abstaining from food and drink from the first light of dawn until sunset.
Global Differences: Fasting hours range widely across the world, from as little as 11 hours near the equator to over 20 hours in polar regions.
Seasonal Impact: Due to the lunar calendar, Ramadan cycles through all four seasons over roughly 33 years, causing fasting hours to lengthen or shorten for specific regions.
Exemptions Exist: Pregnant women, the sick, the elderly, children, and travelers are among those exempt from fasting, with provisions to make up for missed fasts or pay compensation.
Religious Rulings for Extremes: In areas with very long or short days, Muslims may follow the fasting schedule of a nearby city or even Mecca.
Spiritual Uniformity: Despite the varying durations, the spiritual purpose of fasting—self-discipline, devotion, and empathy—remains constant for all Muslims.

The Core Principle: Fasting from Dawn to Dusk

The fundamental principle of fasting during Ramadan is simple: abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations between the first light of dawn (Fajr) and sunset (Maghrib). This practice, known as Sawm, is one of the five pillars of Islam and is observed by Muslims worldwide for 29 or 30 days. The variability in fasting duration stems directly from how daylight hours change with latitude and the seasons.

Global Variation: Geography and Seasons are Key

The most significant factor determining fasting duration is a person's geographical location. Countries in the Northern Hemisphere experience long daylight hours during their summer months, resulting in exceptionally long fasts. Conversely, when Ramadan falls during the Southern Hemisphere's winter, Muslims there experience much shorter fasts. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, Ramadan shifts back by about 10-12 days each year, ensuring that it rotates through all four seasons over a 33-year cycle.

Examples of Varying Fasting Durations

Longest Fasts: In regions close to the Arctic Circle, such as Kiruna, Sweden, and Nuuk, Greenland, Muslims have experienced some of the world's longest fasts, sometimes exceeding 20 hours in the summer months due to the 'midnight sun' phenomenon. In these extreme cases, religious rulings often allow Muslims to follow the fasting timetable of Mecca or the nearest city with a distinct day and night cycle.
Shortest Fasts: Countries in the Southern Hemisphere, or those closer to the equator, have more consistent day lengths and therefore experience shorter, more stable fasting periods. Cities like Johannesburg, South Africa, and Montevideo, Uruguay, might see fasts lasting only 11 to 12 hours.

The Calculation: How Time is Determined

The start and end times for the daily fast are based on local sunrise and sunset. This requires the use of prayer time calculators or calendars to accurately determine the specific timings for each location. In the days leading up to Ramadan, Muslims often look up their city's specific schedule. The pre-dawn meal (Suhoor) must be finished before the Fajr prayer time, and the fast is broken with the Iftar meal immediately after the Maghrib (sunset) prayer time.

Comparison of Fasting Durations (Based on 2025 data)


City	Country	Fasting Duration (Approx.)	Hemisphere	Daylight Hours (Ramadan)
Nuuk	Greenland	16+ hours	Northern	Very long
Reykjavik	Iceland	16+ hours	Northern	Very long
Oslo	Norway	~15-16 hours	Northern	Very long
London	United Kingdom	~15-16 hours	Northern	Long
New Delhi	India	~13-14 hours	Northern (closer to equator)	Moderate
Buenos Aires	Argentina	~12 hours	Southern	Moderate
Christchurch	New Zealand	~12 hours	Southern	Moderate
Cape Town	South Africa	~11-12 hours	Southern	Short

Exemptions and Flexibility in Islamic Law

Not all Muslims are required to fast. The Quran provides exemptions for those who cannot fast for legitimate reasons, with the understanding that missed fasts can be made up later or compensated for. This shows the compassionate nature of Islamic law, which prioritizes ease over hardship.

Exempted individuals include:

The Sick and Elderly: Those who are acutely or chronically ill are excused.
Travelers: Those on a long journey have the option to postpone their fasts.
Pregnant and Nursing Women: These women are exempt if fasting poses a risk to their health or that of their child.
Children and the Mentally Disabled: Fasting is not required for those who have not reached puberty or have mental disabilities.
Menstruating Women: Fasting is forbidden for women during their menstrual cycle, and they must make up the missed days later.

How Fasting is a Unifying and Diverse Practice

While the number of fasting hours can differ significantly from one part of the world to another, the spiritual intention remains constant. Regardless of whether a Muslim is fasting for 12 or 20 hours, the essence of Ramadan is to foster self-discipline, compassion for the less fortunate, and spiritual reflection. The shared act of breaking the fast, known as iftar, also brings communities together globally, highlighting the unifying spirit of the month.

Conclusion: A Diverse Experience United by Faith

The question of how many hours Muslims fast for has no single answer, as the practice is directly tied to a person's geographic location and the seasonal cycle. Fasting times vary dramatically, from short fasts near the equator during the summer to very long fasts in polar regions. However, this diversity in experience does not diminish the shared spiritual purpose of Ramadan. It is a time of profound introspection, devotion, and community, with the duration of the fast serving as a reminder of the global nature of the Muslim faith and the adaptability of its practices.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For more detailed information on the rules and practices of fasting in Islam, you can refer to the comprehensive article on Wikipedia: Fasting in Islam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fasting hours differ because the duration of daylight, from dawn to sunset, varies significantly based on a person's geographical location and the current season.

In countries near the Arctic Circle during summer, Muslims may fast for over 20 hours. In these extreme cases, they often follow the timetable of Mecca or the nearest city with a regular day-night cycle.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Because the lunar year is about 10-12 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan's dates shift earlier each year, causing it to fall in different seasons over time.

If Ramadan occurs during the Southern Hemisphere's winter, Muslims there will have shorter fasts compared to those in the Northern Hemisphere's summer.

No, the fasting time is determined by local sunrise and sunset. A Muslim in one city will fast for a different duration than a Muslim in another, and even the fasting times for an individual change throughout the month.

If a Muslim eats or drinks unintentionally or out of forgetfulness, the fast remains valid. They should stop as soon as they remember and continue their fast for the rest of the day.

Yes, Islamic law provides concessions for travelers. They can choose to postpone their fasts and make them up later, or they can follow the fasting times of their current location.