Ramadan 2027 guide: fasting, work, exercise, sleep
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday, 8 February 2027 and end with Eid al-Fitr, expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, depending on whether the month lasts 29 or 30 days. This guide brings together practical advice for the month: preparation, food, work, exercise, sleep, travel and duas.
Ramadan fasting rules
Fasting in Ramadan is an obligation for every adult Muslim who is sane and able to fast. From dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib), Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and marital relations.
Intention (niyya)
The fast starts with the intention to fast, made in the heart before dawn; no particular wording is required. Depending on the school of thought, it is renewed every night or made once for the whole month.
What breaks the fast
Intentionally eating, drinking or smoking during the day, as well as marital relations, break the fast. A broken day must be made up; the schools of law set out the other cases and any compensation.
What does not break it
Eating or drinking by mistake does not break the fast: according to a hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim, whoever eats or drinks out of forgetfulness should complete their fast, for « it is Allah who has fed them and given them drink ». Swallowing saliva or rinsing the mouth without swallowing water does not break it either.
Exemptions
People who are ill, travellers, pregnant or breastfeeding women, women during menstruation and elderly people for whom fasting is too hard are exempt. Missed days are made up later; when making them up is not possible, compensation (fidya) means feeding a person in need for each day.
See also: Who is exempt from fasting? · Health: ask your doctor · Travelling during Ramadan · The dua of intention
If in doubt, ask an imam.
Preparing before Ramadan
The first days are often the hardest. A few weeks of preparation are enough to make them easier:
Cut down on coffee and tea gradually
Reducing caffeine one or two weeks beforehand limits the headaches of the first fasting days.
Shift your bedtime little by little
Suhoor means waking up before dawn: going to bed earlier and getting used to an earlier alarm makes the transition smoother.
Make up missed days
If you have fasting days to make up from the previous Ramadan, it is customary to do so before the new month begins.
Plan your schedule
Note the key dates (start, last ten nights, Eid), plan important appointments ahead and, if needed, your leave requests.
Set a few goals
Reading the Quran, prayers, charity, good habits to keep after the month: simple, realistic goals last longer than big resolutions.
Suhoor and iftar: nutrition basics
Two meals have to cover a whole day's needs. The goal: last until the evening without an energy crash, and break the fast without overloading.
Don't skip suhoor
Eaten as late as possible before imsak, it helps you get through the day. Favour slow-release carbohydrates (wholemeal bread, oats, wholegrain couscous), some protein (eggs, dairy, pulses) and a piece of fruit.
Hydrate between iftar and suhoor
Spread your water intake over the whole evening rather than drinking a lot at once. Soups, fruit and watery vegetables help too. Limit coffee, very sweet tea and fizzy drinks, which don't quench thirst for long.
Break the fast gently
A few dates and a glass of water or milk, then a soup: the body adjusts gradually before the main course.
Go easy on sugar and fried food
Honey pastries and fried snacks are part of the tradition; enjoying them in moderation avoids energy dips and restless nights.
Keep meals balanced
Vegetables, starches, protein: the iftar plate looks like an ordinary meal, simply eaten later.
This is general information. If you have a chronic condition (diabetes, heart or kidney problems…), are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take regular medication, talk to your doctor before Ramadan. Islam exempts from fasting people who are ill and those for whom fasting is a risk; an imam can advise you on your situation.
Fasting while working or studying
Combining the fast with a working day or classes is mostly about planning ahead.
Rules depend on the country. In France, employment law gives no specific right related to Ramadan: arrangements (shifted hours, a shorter lunch break to leave earlier, a day off for Eid) are agreed with the employer, who can accept them depending on business needs, but may not discriminate against an employee because of their religion. In the UK and the US, anti-discrimination law also covers religion, and employers often consider reasonable requests. This is general information: for a specific case, ask your staff representatives, HR or a legal professional.
Schedule demanding tasks in the morning
Concentration is usually better early in the day. Keep routine tasks for the afternoon.
Mention it simply
Letting your manager or colleagues know avoids misunderstandings (team lunches, late meetings). You don't have to; many do it simply for comfort.
Request leave early
The date of Eid is only confirmed the evening before: if possible, pencil in two days, and explain that the exact date may move by one day.
Students: adapt your revision
Work on difficult subjects after suhoor or in the morning, take short breaks, and tell your school or university if an exam falls during the month.
Spend Ramadan as a couple, one day
Since 2007, Meetarabic has helped single Muslims looking for a serious relationship with marriage in mind.
Exercising during Ramadan
You don't need to stop exercising, but adapt the intensity and the timing. Listen to your body: dizziness, cramps or severe fatigue are signals to stop.
Just before iftar: a light session
Walking, mobility or gentle strength work in the hour before breaking the fast: you can eat and drink right after.
After iftar: harder sessions
Wait one to two hours after the meal for weights or cardio, and hydrate during and after training.
Reduce volume and intensity
Ramadan is a month for maintenance rather than progress: aim for consistency, not personal bests.
Avoid the heat
No intense effort in full sun or during the hottest hours of the day, when you cannot drink.
Sleeping well during Ramadan
Between longer evenings, night prayers and waking up for suhoor, sleep is often broken up. A few habits help limit tiredness:
Keep regular hours
Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day helps your body adapt to the new rhythm.
Take a short nap
Twenty to thirty minutes in the early afternoon, if your schedule allows, makes up for part of a shorter night.
Keep the evening meal light
A very heavy or sugary iftar disrupts sleep. Also avoid caffeine late in the evening.
Go back to sleep after suhoor
If your schedule allows, go back to bed after suhoor and Fajr prayer, somewhere quiet and dark.
Travelling during Ramadan
The Quran allows travellers not to fast and to make up the missed days later (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:184-185). The conditions (distance, length of stay) vary between schools of law: ask an imam before you leave.
If you choose to fast while travelling, iftar is at sunset wherever you are. On a plane, the usual practice is to break the fast when the sun sets where you are flying, which can bring iftar forward or push it back.
Mind the time difference: our calendar calculates prayer times for every city, including your destination.
Ramadan duas
Ramadan is a month of supplication. Here are three of the best-known texts, with their source. References are given for guidance; hadith numbering varies between editions.
When breaking the fast
ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Transliteration: Dhahaba al-zama'u, wa-btallati al-'uruqu, wa thabata al-ajru in sha'a Allah.
“The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills.”
The intention (niyyah)
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ
Transliteration: Innama al-a'malu bi-n-niyyat.
“Actions are judged by intentions.” The intention to fast is made in the heart, before dawn; no particular formula is required.
During the last ten nights (Laylat al-Qadr)
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Transliteration: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbu al-'afwa fa'fu 'anni.
“O Allah, You are the One who pardons, You love to pardon, so pardon me.”
Texts and references should be checked with a knowledgeable person; other wordings exist in different collections.
Iftar tables from the Maghreb to the Mashriq
From one country to the next, breaking the fast has its classics. A tour of the dishes most often found on Ramadan tables:
Dates and milk
Across the Muslim world
Breaking the fast with dates, or water if there are none, follows the example of the Prophet reported in the hadith collections. In the Maghreb, a glass of milk or lben often goes with them.
Harira and chorba
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia
Soup is the heart of the Maghrebi iftar: harira with lentils, chickpeas and tomato in Morocco, chorba frik with cracked green wheat in Algeria and Tunisia.
Bourek, brik and briouats
Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco
Thin pastry sheets rolled or folded around minced meat, tuna, egg or cheese, then fried or baked. They are served alongside the soup.
Chebakia
Morocco
A flower-shaped pastry, fried then dipped in honey and sprinkled with sesame. It is often made in large batches before the month begins.
Msemen
Morocco, Algeria
A flaky square pancake cooked in a pan, served at suhoor or iftar with honey, butter or cheese, and a glass of tea.
Fattoush
Lebanon, Syria, Palestine
A salad of fresh vegetables, purslane and toasted pita bread, seasoned with sumac and pomegranate molasses. Fresh and light after a day of fasting.
Shorbat adas (lentil soup)
Levant, Egypt, Gulf
A smooth red lentil soup with cumin, served with a squeeze of lemon and toasted bread. The iftar soup par excellence in the Mashriq.
Qatayef
Levant, Egypt
Small pancakes folded into half-moons, filled with cream or nuts, fried or served as they are, then drizzled with syrup. A sweet closely tied to Ramadan.
Ramadan 2027 guide: frequently asked questions
What should I eat at suhoor to last the day?
Slow-release carbohydrates (wholemeal bread, oats), some protein (eggs, dairy, pulses), a piece of fruit and water. Avoid very salty food, which makes you thirsty.
How much water should I drink between iftar and suhoor?
There is no single amount: it depends on the season, your activity and your health. The key is to spread water over the whole evening rather than drinking a lot at once.
Can I exercise while fasting?
Yes, with adapted intensity: a light session just before iftar, or a harder one one to two hours after the meal. Stop if you feel dizzy or unwell.
Does my employer have to adjust my hours during Ramadan?
It depends on the country. In France, no rule requires specific arrangements: they are agreed by mutual consent, depending on business needs, but the employer may not discriminate on grounds of religion. Elsewhere, check the rules that apply to you.
Should pregnant women or people with diabetes fast?
Islam exempts from fasting those for whom it poses a risk to their health or their child's. See your doctor before Ramadan, and an imam about how to make up or compensate for the days.
What dua is said when breaking the fast?
The best known is “Dhahaba al-zama'u, wa-btallati al-'uruqu, wa thabata al-ajru in sha'a Allah” (“The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills”), reported by Abu Dawud.
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