Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027 in the UK, with the first Taraweeh prayer on the evening of Sunday 7 February. Some UK mosques follow a local moon sighting and may begin a day later, on Tuesday 9 February. Eid al-Fitr is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027.
These are expected dates, not announcements. There is no single body that sets the date for everyone in the UK, so this page explains how the start is decided, why mosques can begin on different days, and when you will find out. We do not decide the date, and neither does this page. Follow your local mosque's announcement.
Ramadan 2027 dates at a glance
What | Expected date | Basis |
|---|---|---|
New moon (astronomical) | Saturday 6 February 2027, 15:56 UT | UK Moon Sighting Committee |
Evenings to look for the crescent | Sunday 7 and Monday 8 February | UK Moon Sighting Committee |
First day of Ramadan (most likely) | Monday 8 February 2027 | UK Moon Sighting Committee forecast; Umm al-Qura calendar |
First day if a UK mosque starts a day later | Tuesday 9 February 2027 | Local sighting practice |
Eid al-Fitr | Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027 | Depends on the length of Ramadan and the Shawwal moon |
What the astronomy says
The new moon occurs on Saturday 6 February 2027 at 15:56 UT, according to the UK Moon Sighting Committee. A new moon is not the same as a visible crescent. The committee's forecast is that the moon will not be visible to the naked eye anywhere from the UK to Morocco on 6 February, and that it will be visible across that region on 7 February. On that basis it says Ramadan is "most likely" to start on 8 February 2027, and asks observers to look for the crescent after sunset on 7 and 8 February.
This is a forecast, not an observation. Weather decides whether a crescent can actually be seen from the UK on any given evening.
How the start of Ramadan is decided in the UK
UK Muslims do not all use the same method, and scholars differ on which is correct. This site takes no side. In practice there are three approaches:
Local sighting. Some organisations and mosques begin the month only when the crescent has been sighted by the naked eye (or, for some, with optical aids) at the right time under local sighting rules. In 2026, for example, the ICOUK Ulama Panel announced at 18:50 GMT on Wednesday 18 February that the crescent had been sighted in Guernsey, so Ramadan 1447 began on Thursday 19 February.
Following the Saudi Arabian announcement. Other mosques begin when Saudi Arabia announces the month, which follows testimony accepted by its Supreme Court's moon-sighting committee. In 2026 Saudi Arabia announced a Wednesday 18 February start, and UK mosques that follow it, such as Exeter Mosque in its notice of 17 February, began that night.
Other calendars or countries. The UK Government's science blog notes that diverse communities in the UK follow calendars from various countries. In 2026, for example, Morocco's Awqaf Ministry also set the start as Thursday 19 February, according to the UK Moon Sighting Committee. Wifaqul Ulama, a UK body, publishes a local sighting report and a foreign sighting report each month.
The result is that neighbouring mosques can begin Ramadan on different days. That is not an error on this site or on theirs: it comes from different methods, each followed by people who consider it correct.
What happened in 2026
The most recent example shows how this works. For Ramadan 1447, Saudi Arabia announced on 17 February 2026 that the month would begin on Wednesday 18 February. Birmingham Live reported at the time that Royal Observatory Greenwich's forecast was that the crescent would not be visible on 17 February in the UK or in Saudi Arabia. The following evening, a UK local-sighting body announced a Thursday 19 February start. UK mosques therefore began on both days, depending on their method.
We cannot say what will happen in 2027. In both methods the date depends on events in early February. The expected Monday 8 February start is the date on which the Umm al-Qura calendar and the UK Moon Sighting Committee's forecast agree.
When will the start be announced?
Announcements are normally made on the evening before the first fast, which is the 29th of Sha'ban. The 2026 examples above fit that pattern: Exeter Mosque's notice was published on 17 February for an 18 February start, and the ICOUK Ulama Panel announced on 18 February for a 19 February start. If Ramadan 2027 begins on Monday 8 February, expect announcements on the evening of Sunday 7 February.
If you follow a local mosque, the quickest reliable source is the mosque itself, usually its website, social media or notice board.
Suhoor and Iftar on the first day
Our timetables list every day of Ramadan 2027 for 12 UK cities, counted from the expected start of 8 February. If your mosque starts on 9 February, count day 1 from the 9 February row. The times for each date do not change. Choose your city for the full timetable:
For a national overview, see Ramadan 2027 in the UK. For how long each fast will be, see our guide to Ramadan 2027 fasting hours in the UK.
Eid al-Fitr 2027
The Umm al-Qura calendar gives a 29-day Ramadan 1448, ending on Monday 8 March, which makes Eid al-Fitr Tuesday 9 March 2027. In the UK, where a month is begun by local sighting the first day of Shawwal may be a day later, Wednesday 10 March. Both depend on the moon, and mosques announce their own dates. Our Islamic calendar lists the expected dates on the Umm al-Qura calendar, which is a calculated calendar and not a UK sighting.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ramadan 2027 on 8 or 9 February in the UK?
The expected start is Monday 8 February 2027. Mosques that follow a local sighting, or a later announcement, may begin on Tuesday 9 February. Follow your mosque.
Who announces the start of Ramadan in the UK?
No single body does. Different organisations and mosques announce their own dates, based on local sighting, the Saudi announcement or another country's announcement. Check your own mosque.
Why does my mosque start on a different day to the one next door?
Because mosques follow different methods. The difference is a day at most, and it comes from the method, not from a mistake.
What if my mosque's date is different from this page?
Follow your mosque. Our dates are expected dates and we do not decide the start. If you start on 9 February, use the 9 February row in our timetable as day 1.
Do the clocks change during Ramadan 2027?
No. British Summer Time begins on Sunday 28 March 2027, after Eid.
Is the Umm al-Qura calendar the UK date?
No. It is a calculated Saudi calendar. We use it for the expected dates, and UK sighting can differ by a day.