The Gregorian calendar is based on the solar year, whereas the Hijri calendar is based on the lunar year. It is for this reason that the beginning of Ramadan every year differs in relation to the Gregorian calendar, and as a result of that it moves through the four seasons. For example, the sun will rise at around 6.30am during the first few days of Ramadan this year, and set at roughly 5.45pm, meaning iftar will be taken reasonably early in the evening. As the month So when you overlay annual Ramadan occurrences over the Gregorian calendar, it gives the appearance of falling further back each year, some 10 to 12 days each time. In fact, it takes Ramadan 33 Ramadan lasts either 29 or 30 days, ending when the next new moon is sighted. At the end of the month, Muslims celebrate Eid-al-fitr, marking the beginning of the next lunar month. Ramadan comes at a different time every year because it is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a date-keeping system based on lunar cycles, unlike the Gregorian calendar (the one used by Since the Islamic lunar calendar is shorter than the solar year, Ramadan advances by approximately 10-12 days each year. This ensures that over time, Muslims experience Ramadan in different seasons, reflecting the diverse conditions in which Muslims live around the world. Ramadan dates change every year because, for religious matters, Muslims follow a lunar calendar — that is, one based on the phases of the moon — whose 12 months add up to approximately 354 days. That’s 11 days shorter than the 365 days of the standard Gregorian calendar. Because lunar cycles are shorter than the solar year, Ramadan shifts by about 10 to 11 days on the Gregorian calendar each year. That’s why Ramadan 2025 is earlier than last year, when Ramadan The exact dates of Ramadan change every year, due to the calendar being based on the cycles of the moon. Ramadan begins when the new moon appears. When the Moon is full, it is the middle of the month of Ramadan, and when the Moon falls on the other side, the month of Ramadan ends. Ramadan's position in the Gregorian calendar is constantly changing due to the "unfixed" manner in which the days and months of the year are drawn out. Why does Ramadan move every year? When it comes to religious matters, Muslims follow the lunar calendar that is based on the phases of the moon and has approximately 354 days – 11 days shorter than the usual Gregorian calendar. It is because of this gap that Ramadan draws closer by a few days every year. This discrepancy causes Islamic months to shift earlier by about 10 to 12 days each Gregorian year. The Phenomenon of Two Ramadans in One Year. Because of the shorter Islamic year, Ramadan—the ninth month of the Hijri calendar—gradually moves through the seasons over a 33-year cycle. How Many Days Does Ramadan Move Each Year? Have you ever wondered why Ramadan shifts each year? In this informative video, we will break down the reasons beh Ramadan shifts by approximately 10 to 12 days earlier each year due to the Islamic lunar calendar, which is shorter than the Gregorian solar calendar. Why Does Ramadan Move? Have you ever wondered why the Islamic holy month of Ramadan shifts each year? In this informative video, we will clarify the reasons Why Do the Dates of Ramadan Change Every Year? Ramadan is a month based on the Islamic lunar calendar and does not follow the Gregorian calendar as we know it. The lunar year is approximately 10−12 days shorter than the solar year. For that reason, Ramadan moves earlier every year. This year, Ramadan begins in March; next year, it starts in Since there are 12 lunar months superimposed over 12 solar months, Ramadan “moves back” about 11 days per solar year. In 2025, the first day of fasting is expected to be March 1, though given Also, the Arabic year consists of either 354 or 355 days. So, Ramadan moves 10 or 11 days backwards every year and starts at different months of the solar calendar. So, after every 33 years, the Arabic year becomes 1 more than the solar year, and this holy month returns to the same season. Was the Quran Revealed in Ramadan? Eng. Majed Abu Zahra, president of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, explained that the Hijri calendar is about 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar each year. Because of this, Hijri months shift by these days every year, meaning Ramadan moves through different seasons every 33 years.
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