Ramadan fasting hours 2021 - these countries may fast for up to 20 hours a day

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For Muslims around the world, the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan is both a cause for celebration as well as a means of fulfilling one of the five pillars of Islam, namely the Ramadan fast.

Although the Ramadan fasting hours vary around the world, they can generally be described as ‘from dawn till dusk,’  meaning that Muslims are not allowed to drink, eat, and engage in husband-wife intimacy for as long as the sun is still out.

Depending on where they are, the Ramadan fasting period can get quite punishing as the daylight hours in some regions can last up to 21 hours!

Let’s take a look at some of the regions with the longest and shortest fasting hours around the world in 2021.

When is Ramadan 2021?

As with previous years, the start of Ramadan is traditionally determined by religious scholars/authorities under the cover of night as they seek to observe certain sightings related to the appearance and cycle of the moon.

For the UAE, Ramadan 2021 has started on 13 April 2021 as with numerous other countries celebrating Ramadan. These countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and most non-Arab countries in Africa.

Other countries, the likes of Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia, had observed the month of Sha’ban on 14 March, which means that Ramadan came earlier on the 11th of April.

Longest and shortest fasting hours 2021

Essentially, the difference in fasting hours is due to the varying length of the day from one region to another. This has to do with the time of the year, distance from the equator and some other sciency stuff that make the sun appear longer or shorter depending on where you are.

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Places with the longest fasting hours

1. Nuuk, Greenland

The city of Nuuk, Greenland takes the cake for being the city with the longest fasting hours. In the cold and windy capital of Greenland, Muslims must endure a punishing 20-hour fast

2. Helsinki, Finland

The second coldest capital in Europe is also the city with the second-longest fasting hours for Muslims. A total of 19 hours of daylight makes completing a fast here a monumental feat.

3. Glasgow, Scotland

The city in the western lowlands of Scotland enjoys some 18 hours of daylight. This means Muslims in Glasgow must find it within themselves to persevere through 18 hours of submission.

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4. Berlin, Germany

This western European city is among the world’s top 5 places with the longest fasting hours. Muslims residing in Germany must observe up to 17 hours of fasting. Temperatures there present an additional challenge as they can reach around 35 degrees Celsius.

5. Ottawa, Canada

This northernmost country in North America challenges a Muslim’s resolve by offering 16 hours of fasting time. Those performing the Ramadan fast in Ottawa are advised to keep themselves fit by providing themselves with sufficient nutrition intake during their suhoor.

Places with the shortest fasting hours

As for the places with the shortest fasting hours, all of them can be found south of the equator. These places are:

• Christchurch, New Zealand
• Puerto Montt, Chile
• Canberra, Australia
• Montevideo, Uruguay
• Cape Town, South Africa

The average fasting hours in the above cities are just shy of 12 hours.

Average fasting hours worldwide

While the above places represent each end of the spectrum, the average fasting hours in some of the major countries of the world tend to be somewhere between the 12 to 15-hour mark. Here are the Ramadan fasting hours in some countries.

1. Middle East

Countries in the Middle East, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and so on generally fast for 14 to 15 hours. Though the hours aren’t as long as some of the places on the list, fasting in these countries may prove even more challenging due to the unforgiving heat.

2. Southeast Asia

Muslims in Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia typically fast for 12 to 13 hours per day. Comparatively short when compared to other regions in the northern hemisphere.

3. Africa

With the notable exception of South Africa, Muslims in African countries the likes of Ethiopia, Senegal, and Nigeria fast for about 14 to 15 hours on average.

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4. North and South America

Muslims living in South American countries the likes of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and so on, fast for 11 to 13 hours taking into account their exact location.

On the flipside, Muslims residing in the north of America will have to deal with longer hours up to 15 to 16 hours in Canada and the US. Those living in Greenland, as mentioned, will fast for up to 20 hours.

5. Europe

17 to 18 hours of daylight is the standard in Nordic countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and so on. As such, Muslims there will have to prepare themselves accordingly to be able to complete their fast.

In countries such as France and Switzerland, the hours are shorter (although not by much). Muslims in the region fast for about 16 to 17 hours, while those residing in Greece, Italy and Spain fast for 15 to 16 hours.

This article was first published in Wego.