More than a billion Muslims around the world are anticipating the arrival of Ramadan 2026.

Ramadan atmosphere in Cairo

Fasting during Ramadan 2026: These countries will experience long fasting hours.

More than a billion Muslims around the world are anticipating the arrival of Ramadan 2026. Predictions indicate that fasting hours this year will be relatively shorter compared to last year, offering some relief to those observing the fast.

Fasting hours vary around the world.

The duration of fasting varies from country to country depending on geographical location and latitude. Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset, and this varies according to the sunrise and sunset times in each region.

In the Middle East and North Africa, fasting hours remain relatively moderate due to their proximity to the equator. The duration increases as one moves north due to the longer daylight hours, while it shortens in the south where daylight hours are shorter.

In the United Arab Emirates, the first day of fasting is expected to last approximately 12 hours and 46 minutes, about half an hour less than the first day of Ramadan last year, which lasted 13 hours and 16 minutes. The duration is expected to gradually increase as the month progresses.

Longest Fasting Hours

Far-northern regions such as Russia, Greenland, and Iceland experience the longest fasting periods due to their high latitudes. Countries like Norway, Sweden, and Finland also record more than 16 hours of fasting daily. In some high-altitude areas in the north, including parts of Canada, the fasting period can reach approximately 20 hours due to the exceptionally long daylight hours.

Jurisprudential Exceptions

Islamic scholars have provided Muslims residing in areas with unusually long days with two options: either to follow the fasting times in Mecca, where the weather is relatively moderate, or to adopt the timings of the nearest geographically temperate city.

Shortest Fasting Hours

In contrast, countries near the equator or in the Southern Hemisphere experience shorter fasting hours, such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Chile, and New Zealand, where the fasting period typically ranges between 11 and 13 hours.

Meanwhile, tropical regions like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Kenya experience relatively stable fasting periods ranging between 12 and 14 hours. Despite the longest days in the north and the shortest in the south, Ramadan remains a spiritual season that unites Muslims worldwide, regardless of geographical differences and the length of the fasting hours.