Thursday March the 23rd marks the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in many countries around the world. The most sacred month of the year has finally come for Muslims to celebrate. It is the time to get closer to Allah (SWT), to repent, to pray, to read the Quran in ramadan, and to make Dua (you can find some really helpful Dua for this holy month is our article dua to recite in Ramadan). Hence, in this simple article, we hope to help you gain more information about this sacred month and provide you with the fasting hours in some countries.
Some Fasting hours around the world:
Ramadan this year has fasting hours that range from 18 (longest) to 12 hours (shortest). They are classified as the following:
- The Middle East: Middle Eastern nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others mostly witness a 14- to 15-hour fast.
- Africa: Muslims in North Africa and the rest of African countries fast for 13 to 14 hours per day, with the notable exception of South Africa which has one of the shortest fasting hours.
- Southeast Asia: Muslims in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia also mostly witness a 13- to 14-hour fast each day.
- Europe: The hours are a bit longer in places like France and Switzerland. Muslims in the area fast for 16 to 17 hours, compared to 15 to 16 hours for Muslims in Greece, Italy, and Spain.
- North and South America: As to Muslims who reside in South American nations such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and so on fast for 11 to 13 hours. Muslims living in North America will, however, have to put up with longer hours up to 15 or 16 in Canada and the US.
Another classification with more details is as follows:
cities that fast the longest: 18 hours
They are: Nuuk, Greenland and Helsinki, Finland.
Cities that fast 17 hours:
They are Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Glasgow, Scotland.
Cities that fast 16 hours:
The list includes: London, UK; Brussels, Belgium; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Warsaw, Poland; and Astana, Kazakhstan.
Cities that fast 15 hours:
They are: Ottawa, Canada; Paris, France; Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich, Switzerland; Bucharest, Romania; Madrid, Spain; and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cities that fast 14 hours:
The list includes but is not limited to: Washington, DC, US; Ankara, Turkey; Athens, Greece; Tokyo, Japan; Beijing, China; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Dubai, UAE; Doha, Qatar; Muscat, Oman; Tehran, Iran; Damascus, Syria; Baghdad, Iraq; Baghdad, Iraq; Gaza City, Palestine; and New Delhi, India.
Cities that fast 13 hours:
The list includes but is not limited to: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Moscow, Russia.
Cities that fast the shortest: 12-13 hours:
These are: Cape Town, South Africa; Canberra, Australia; Montevideo, Uruguay; Puerto Montt, Chile; and Christchurch, New Zealand.
Conclusion
Ramadan is a magical month for Muslims. It brings joy and serenity to the heart and soul. Thus, it is only natural to celebrate it. Yet, the best way to do so is by making as many good deeds as possible, praying to Allah (SWT), asking for His forgiveness, making supplications, and most importantly reading the Quran since it was first revealed to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) during this special month. If you struggle with finishing the Quran in Ramadan, we humbly invite you to read our previous article and hopefully it will help you.
Ramadan Mubarak and may Allah (SWT) accept our good deeds.
