Ramadan Begins

Ramadan Begins in Qatar when the ninth month of the Hijri calendar is officially confirmed, opening a central season of Muslim life. From dawn to sunset, many Muslims fast while prayer, Qur’an recitation, charity and self-discipline take on special emphasis. Across Qatar, the month changes the rhythm of daily life: working hours, public dining and evening activity adjust, and families gather for iftar after sunset.

The start is determined through the lunar calendar and official religious confirmation. It is included here as a meaningful observance rather than a guaranteed separate public holiday. The later Eid al-Fitr break marks Ramadan’s completion; visitors and residents should distinguish the season’s cultural significance from the specific legal days off announced by the state.

For 2026, the Amiri Diwan’s reception announcement identified Wednesday, 18 February as the first day of Ramadan. Qatar’s Labour Law reduces maximum ordinary hours for covered workers during Ramadan to thirty-six hours per week and six hours per day; this working-hours rule is different from paid holiday leave. Mosques extend evening programmes, charitable bodies organise iftar and zakat initiatives, and businesses publish their own late-night schedules. Non-Muslim residents are not described as religious participants, although the changed public rhythm affects the wider community.