When is Ramadan 2025? All you need to know

Ramadan will start at the end of February or beginning of March with many schools on holiday for Eid Al Fitr

A cannon at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is fired to mark the end of a day's fasting during Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National

Ramadan is expected to begin on either February 28 or March 1 next year, about three weeks before the end of spring term for many schools.

Some schools in the UAE have notified parents that the holiday of Eid Al Fitr, which is celebrated to mark the end of the Holy Month, is expected to take place on March 31 or April 1, pending the decision of the Moon-sighting committee that determines when Ramadan begins. This means it will fall during the school holidays for many.

The dates will be confirmed closer to the time. Eid Al Fitr could fall between Monday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 2, astronomers at the Emirates Astronomical Society told The National.

Why is Ramadan in March significant?

It is likely that schools will break for the end of the spring term during the Holy Month, around March 21, with many pupils not due to return until April 7. Ramadan will start only a couple weeks after the half-term break, which for many pupils is due to take place in mid-February.

Ramadan will also be taking place in the peak tourism season across the UAE, which typically lasts from November until April. It was not long ago that few restaurants would be open during fasting hours, with diners often seated behind curtains. There was no background music played and many bars and clubs closed for the Holy Month.

However, those rules have largely been relaxed in recent years, with most cafes and restaurants operating normally and many extending their opening hours from morning until midnight.

How accurate are astronomers' predictions?

Speaking in May, Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, explained the precision with which the lunar cycle position can be determined using astronomical calculations.

“We can accurately predict the new Moon's position for up to 100 years in advance based on certain elements,” he told The National. “However, an official confirmation is required from the Ministry of Justice despite the scientific accuracy.”

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth and most holy month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. It is said to be the month that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Muslims do not eat or drink between fajr and maghrib prayers (at dawn and sunset), during Ramadan.

For Muslims, Ramadan is not simply about abstaining from food, it is also a religious time with people strengthening their faith through Quran recitation and prayer. The exact date will be decided by the Moon-sighting committee, a group of astronomers, court officials and advisers from the UAE's Islamic authority.

The Islamic calendar is decided by Moon phases, which are either 29 or 30 days long. The presence of a new Moon signals the start of a new month in the Islamic calendar. The committee will begin searching for the new crescent Moon after maghrib prayers on the 29th day of Shaban, the month preceding Ramadan.

If it cannot be seen, or is known, by using calculations, not to be in the sky, it is considered to be the 30th day of the month. However, if the new crescent is spotted, Ramadan begins the following day.

Watch: First cannon fired in Abu Dhabi for Ramadan 2024