Rabat – Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin on February 19 in the UAE, according to early astronomical predictions.
However, the official start date will depend on the sighting of the crescent moon by the UAE Moon-Sighting Committee on the evening of the 29th day of Sha’ban, the month that precedes Ramadan.
Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) indicates that Ramadan is likely to fall between February 17 and 19, with February 19 seen as the strongest possibility. Like all Islamic months, which follow the lunar calendar, Ramadan officially starts only after the moon is sighted.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and charity. Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset. Fasting hours in the UAE this Ramadan are expected to be shorter compared to recent years. Since Ramadan is moving closer to the winter season, daylight hours will be more moderate, making fasting physically easier.
Ramadan lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon sighting at the end of the month. Current forecasts suggest a strong possibility that Ramadan will last 29 days this year.
Working hours are reduced across the UAE during Ramadan. Private sector employees receive two fewer working hours per day, while public sector hours are also shortened through official announcements.
Ramadan will also overlap with school spring breaks in mid-March, which will allow families to spend more time together during the final days of the holy month and Eid celebrations.
The holy month is a time for Muslims across the world to get close to God (Allah) with increased prayer, reciting the Quran, and charity and good deeds.