By: David Bentley SEO Content Writer
The holy month of fasting will occur twice in 2030 as lunar and solar differences bring an unusual double celebration that is sure to cause some confusion
Ramadan is coming with the exact date it starts in 2021 to be confirmed by sightings of the first faint crescent of the new moon.
But in 2030, the holy month will occur twice in one year: once in January and then again in December.
It may sound bizarre, impossible or even outright crazy but it’s correct, even though it will mean two periods of fasting within one year.
The reason for this unusual occurrence is that Islamic dates follow the lunar cycle.
A lunar year is 354 days, shorter than the 365 days of the solar-based Gregorian calendar used by much of the western world.
So this means that all Muslim dates appear to move back by about 11 days a year.
In 2021, Ramadan is expected to start on April 13, depending on the visibility of the moon.
And in subsequent years it will get earlier and earlier. The predicted date for the start of Ramadan 2022 is April 2, while in 2023 it will begin on March 23 and so on.
So, by 2030, it will fall in January. But because the Islamic year is shorter than the western year, it will also come round again at the end of that year.
The Saudi Arabian calendar for 2030 on the website timeanddate.com explains that Ramadan is likely to be observed on January 6, 2030, followed by Eid al-Fitr on February 5, and then a second Ramadan starting on December 26.
Sheikh Yahya Safi, Imam of Lakemba Mosque in Sydney, Australia, delivers an Eid al-Fitr prayer to a reduced congregation practising social distancing, during a live online prayer event on May 24, 2020
Hassan Ahmed Al Hariri, chief executive officer of the Dubai Astronomy Group, told Gulf News that observing two Ramadans in one year was not as strange or unnatural as it sounded but was down to the way calendars are worked out.
He said: “The solar calendar and the lunar calendar run separately from each other and are different. The solar one is fixed with the sun, while the lunar calendar is always 11 days shorter. So having two Ramadans is a natural result of having two different calendars.
“Calendars were invented by humans so we could use them as a benchmark and count the time. People should see the two Ramadans as a natural thing.”
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and sees devout Muslims fasting every day between early morning and sunset.
They are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke or indulge in sexual activity during daylight hours, and must instead dedicate their time to prayer, religious study and spiritual reflection.
Ramadan is regarded as the holy month because it is when the Quran was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
