Ramadan prayer and fasting schedule: Suhoor and Iftar times explained

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar — a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib), making accurate prayer times especially important.

Suhoor and Iftar: The Fasting Window

The daily fast has two critical time points:

• Suhoor (pre-dawn meal): Eaten before Fajr prayer time begins. Most scholars recommend finishing eating at least 10-15 minutes before Fajr to ensure the fast starts cleanly.
• Iftar (breaking the fast): The fast ends at Maghrib — the moment the sun sets. Traditionally, Muslims break their fast with dates and water before praying Maghrib.

The fasting window — from Fajr to Maghrib — changes every day as the sun's position shifts. In summer, US fasts can be 15-17 hours long. In winter, they shorten to 10-11 hours.

How Fasting Hours Vary by City

Because the US spans a wide range of latitudes, fasting hours differ significantly:

Summer Ramadan (if Ramadan falls in June) | City | Fajr | Maghrib | Fast Length | |------|------|---------|-------------| | Seattle | ~3:15 AM | ~9:10 PM | ~18 hours | | Chicago | ~3:40 AM | ~8:30 PM | ~17 hours | | New York | ~3:50 AM | ~8:30 PM | ~16.5 hours | | Houston | ~4:40 AM | ~8:25 PM | ~15.5 hours | | Miami | ~5:00 AM | ~8:15 PM | ~15 hours |

Winter Ramadan (if Ramadan falls in December) | City | Fajr | Maghrib | Fast Length | |------|------|---------|-------------| | Seattle | ~5:50 AM | ~4:20 PM | ~10.5 hours | | New York | ~5:45 AM | ~4:30 PM | ~11 hours | | Houston | ~5:40 AM | ~5:20 PM | ~11.5 hours |

Northern cities like Seattle have the most dramatic variation — from 18-hour summer fasts to 10.5-hour winter fasts.

Ramadan 2026

In the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan shifts approximately 10-11 days earlier each year relative to the Gregorian calendar. Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin around February 18, 2026 (depending on moon sighting).

During late February / March, fasting hours in most US cities will be approximately 12-13 hours — a moderate duration.

Taraweeh Prayers

During Ramadan, an additional night prayer called Taraweeh is performed after Isha. These are typically performed in congregation at the mosque and can last 1-2 hours. Taraweeh starts after the regular Isha prayer, which you can find on our prayer times pages.

Tips for Planning Your Ramadan Schedule

1. Check tomorrow's times tonight — Use our prayer times tool to see the exact Suhoor and Iftar times for your city. The 7-day forecast is especially useful for meal planning.

1. Set two alarms for Suhoor — One to wake up (30-40 minutes before Fajr) and one as a 10-minute warning before Fajr begins.

1. Track the daily shift — Fajr and Maghrib times shift by 1-2 minutes each day. Over 30 days, that's a 30-60 minute total change in your fasting window.

1. Plan meals around changing times — As the month progresses, Iftar time will shift. Adjust your cooking schedule accordingly.

1. Use the fasting window display — Our prayer times calculator shows the "Fasting window" (Fajr to Maghrib) on every city page.

Moon Sighting and Ramadan Dates

The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilal) at the end of the month of Sha'ban. Some communities rely on local moon sighting, while others follow calculated astronomical data or decisions from Saudi Arabia.

You can track the moon phases on Timerjoy to see when the new moon occurs each month, which helps predict when Ramadan and other Islamic months begin.

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