Ramadan 2027 dates are expected to run from the evening of Sunday, February 7 through the first days of March, with the first full day of fasting on Monday, February 8 and Eid al-Fitr expected around Tuesday, March 9 or Wednesday, March 10, depending on whether the month is 29 or 30 days. These are astronomical forecasts, not fixed dates, because Ramadan officially begins only once the new crescent moon is confirmed sighted. This guide covers the expected calendar, how US mosques decide the start date, typical fasting hours for American cities and how to prepare, whether you are fasting for the first time or the fortieth.
Ramadan 2027 dates: when does the month start?
Confirming exact Ramadan 2027 dates this far ahead is not possible, but astronomers can calculate part of the picture precisely. The U.S. Naval Observatory places the astronomical new moon, or conjunction, at 15:56 UTC on Saturday, February 6, 2027. That moment marks the start of a new lunar cycle, but the Moon is not yet visible as a crescent at conjunction. The young crescent is then assessed for visibility after sunset on Sunday, February 7, 2027, corresponding to 29 Sha’ban 1448 AH in the expected calendar, which is why that evening is the key date when estimating the start of Ramadan. In short: the new moon occurs on February 6, but that alone does not start Ramadan. The conjunction marks the astronomical beginning of a new lunar cycle; the crescent is then assessed after sunset on February 7, and if it is accepted as visible under the method a community follows, Ramadan begins that evening, with the first fast observed on Monday, February 8. The month runs 29 or 30 days depending on when the following crescent is sighted, which puts Eid al-Fitr around Tuesday, March 9, or Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
Because the Islamic calendar is about 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian year, Ramadan moves earlier in the Gregorian calendar each year.
How is the Ramadan date calculated before the moon is sighted?
Ramadan 2027 dates start with a precise astronomical event: the new moon, or conjunction, which the U.S. Naval Observatory places at 15:56 UTC on February 6, 2027. At that moment the Moon is not yet visible as a crescent, so conjunction is only the calculation’s starting point, not Ramadan’s start. Astronomers and moon-sighting organizations, including the International Astronomical Center, then use established visibility criteria, such as the Yallop and Odeh models, to estimate whether a young crescent would actually be visible after sunset the next evening, February 7. These criteria weigh factors like the Moon’s altitude above the horizon, its angular separation from the Sun and how long it stays up after sunset, not just how many hours have passed since conjunction.
This distinction between the new moon and the visible crescent moon is at the heart of Ramadan astronomical calculation, and it is also why Ramadan moon sighting in the USA can produce different results in different cities and communities. Because visibility depends on location, some US mosques follow calculated dates, such as the Fiqh Council of North America’s criterion (an elongation of at least 8 degrees and a Moon altitude of at least 5 degrees above the horizon somewhere on Earth at sunset), while others wait for an actual crescent sighting confirmed in North America itself. Astronomy can predict the conjunction years in advance and estimate visibility with real precision, but it cannot hand every mosque one single guaranteed date, since the sighting method a community follows and the weather on the night itself both still matter. That combination, calculation, prediction and local decision, is the real answer to how the Ramadan date is calculated, and why two mosques in the same country can reasonably announce different Ramadan 2027 dates a day apart.
How US mosques determine the start date
In the United States, Ramadan 2027 dates are not decided by a single national authority, so it is common to see two mosques in the same city start a day apart. Two approaches are widely followed.
Calculation-based dating. The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) recognizes astronomical calculation for determining the start of Ramadan and Shawwal. Its published criterion, based on the European Council for Fatwa and Research standard, holds that if the Moon’s elongation from the Sun reaches at least 8 degrees and its altitude reaches at least 5 degrees above the horizon somewhere on Earth at sunset, the new crescent is treated as visible, and the new month begins the following day. Mosques and organizations that follow FCNA’s calculated Ramadan 2027 dates use this criterion rather than waiting for a physical sighting report.
Local moon sighting. Other mosques and community councils wait for an actual sighting confirmed in North America itself, which can push the start a day later than the calculated date if clouds or timing prevent an early local sighting.
Neither approach is treated here as more correct than the other for arriving at Ramadan 2027 dates. If your mosque follows a specific method, that is the date to plan around, and it is worth checking directly rather than assuming.
Ramadan 2027 dates: the full calendar
Using the expected February 8 start, here are the Ramadan 2027 dates for the month’s key moments. Remember that in the Islamic calendar, each day begins at maghrib the evening before.
- Sunday evening, February 7, 2027: the first night of Ramadan, first taraweeh prayers
- Monday, February 8, 2027: the first day of fasting
- Saturday evening, February 27, 2027: if Ramadan began February 8, the last ten nights begin at maghrib this evening
- Nights beginning at maghrib on February 27 and March 1, 3, 5 and 7, 2027: the odd nights of the last ten, most commonly associated with Laylat al-Qadr
- Zakat al-Fitr: due before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, whichever day Eid falls on
- Tuesday, March 9 or Wednesday, March 10, 2027: Eid al-Fitr, expected on the 9th if Ramadan is 29 days or the 10th if it is 30 days
Every one of these Ramadan 2027 dates shifts if the crescent is sighted a day earlier or later than expected, so treat the list as a planning frame and confirm with your local mosque once the month is announced.
Fasting hours across the USA
Ramadan 2027 falls in winter, which means shorter daylight hours for most of the country than a summer Ramadan would bring. Fasting runs from fajr to maghrib, and both the exact clock times and the total length of the fast depend on a city’s latitude, longitude and time zone. All of the cities below are still on standard time in February, since US daylight saving time does not begin until mid-March.
| City | Approximate Fajr | Approximate Maghrib | Approximate Fasting Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 5:35 AM | 5:15 PM | about 11.5 hours |
| Chicago, IL | 5:40 AM | 5:10 PM | about 11.5 hours |
| Houston, TX | 5:50 AM | 6:00 PM | about 12 hours |
| Los Angeles, CA | 5:25 AM | 5:30 PM | about 12 hours |
| Seattle, WA | 6:00 AM | 5:20 PM | about 11.3 hours |
| Miami, FL | 5:40 AM | 6:05 PM | about 12.5 hours |
These are approximate figures for the first day of fasting tied to the expected Ramadan 2027 dates, based on typical sunrise and sunset times for each city and a fajr angle common to US prayer-time calculations. Fajr convention varies slightly between calculation methods, and these should be treated as planning estimates. For exact times in your city tied to the confirmed Ramadan 2027 dates, your local mosque or a prayer time app is more reliable than any general estimate, since these are calculated from precise coordinates and your mosque’s chosen method.
How to prepare for Ramadan 2027
A little preparation in January makes it easier to plan around Ramadan 2027 dates once your mosque confirms them.
- Start adjusting sleep and meal timing a week or two before Ramadan begins.
- Plan suhoor and iftar meals in advance so you are not deciding at the last minute each day.
- Set a realistic Quran reading goal for the month rather than an all-or-nothing plan.
- Calculate your zakat early if your zakat year (hawl) falls near Ramadan, since many people choose to pay it during this month.
- Decide in advance which causes or organizations you want to support, so giving does not get rushed in the final nights.
Zakat, sadaqah and giving during Ramadan
Once Ramadan 2027 dates are closer to confirmed, many Muslims choose to pay zakat during Ramadan, even though it is due whenever a full lunar year passes on savings that meet the nisab threshold. Our guide on zakat eligibility explains who qualifies to give and receive it, and our page on sadaqah and zakat covers how the two differ. If you are looking for reflections on why the month carries so much spiritual weight, see our piece on Ramadan’s transformative power.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What are the exact Ramadan 2027 dates?
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin the evening of February 7, with the first fasting day on February 8, and to end with Eid al-Fitr around March 9 or 10, 2027. The exact dates depend on moon sighting.
Q2. Will Ramadan 2027 start on the same day everywhere in the USA?
Not necessarily. Mosques that follow global sighting or calculation methods and those that wait for local North American sighting can differ by a day.
Q3. How long are the fasting hours during Ramadan 2027?
Since Ramadan 2027 falls in winter, most of the US can expect fasts of roughly 11 to 12.5 hours on the first day, depending on latitude, with northern cities generally seeing shorter days and southern cities longer, more consistent fasting hours.
Q4. When is Laylat al-Qadr in 2027?
It is sought on the odd nights of the last ten nights, expected to fall on February 27 and March 1, 3, 5 and 7, 2027, though the exact night is never confirmed.
Q5. When should Zakat al-Fitr be paid in 2027?
As with other Ramadan 2027 dates on this page, Zakat al-Fitr should be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, whichever day that falls on. If Ramadan begins February 8, Eid is expected on March 9 if the month is 29 days, or March 10 if it runs the full 30 days.
Q6. How is the Ramadan date calculated?
Ramadan 2027 dates are calculated by first finding the exact moment of the new moon, or conjunction, then assessing whether a young crescent would be visible from a given location after sunset the following evening. The conjunction can be predicted years in advance; actual visibility depends on real-time sky conditions and local sighting practice.
Q7. Why does Ramadan moon sighting differ across the USA?
Because crescent visibility depends on location, sunset time and sky conditions, US mosques that follow different sighting methods, global calculation versus local North American sighting, can end up a day apart.
Prepare to give as well as fast
Ramadan is as much about generosity as it is about fasting. If you are planning your Ramadan 2027 giving early, Guardian Hands funds education and clean water programs for communities in Pakistan, and you can donate or read more about sadaqah jariyah water projects that keep giving long after the month ends.