ISLAMABAD, March 3 (Alliance News): The holy month of Ramadan has commenced globally, with Muslims fasting from dawn to dusk for the next 29 or 30 days, depending on the lunar calendar. The fasting duration varies by location, ranging from 12 to 16 hours.
As the Islamic calendar follows the lunar Hijri system, Ramadan begins 10 to 12 days earlier each year. In 2030, the month will occur twice, first on January 5 and then on December 26, due to the lunar year being 11 days shorter than the solar year.
Muslims in the southernmost regions, such as Chile and New Zealand, will observe fasts of around 13 hours, while those in northern areas, including Iceland and Greenland, will experience fasting periods of 16 hours or more.
This year, fasting hours will be slightly shorter and will continue decreasing until 2031, when Ramadan coincides with the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, leading to the shortest fasting durations. After that, fasting hours will increase until the summer solstice, while the opposite pattern will be observed in the Southern Hemisphere.
The longest fasts this year will be observed in Nuuk, Greenland, and Reykjavik, Iceland (16 hours), while most locations, including Islamabad, Riyadh, Cairo, and Jakarta, will observe 13-hour fasts.
