In 2030, Muslims will experience a rare occurrence of two Ramadans in a single calendar year. Here’s what you need to know about this astronomical phenomenon.
In 2030, Muslims worldwide will witness an extraordinary event: two Ramadans within a single calendar year. Astronomical calculations show this rare phenomenon will happen because the lunar year is 10-12 days shorter than the solar year.
Because of the lunar calendar, the Islamic month of Ramadan typically moves ahead by 10 to 11 days each year. As a result, in 2030, the first Ramadan will begin on January 4, followed by another on December 26. This means that Muslims will fast for a total of 36 days that year.
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The rare event occurs only once every 33 years, with the last instance occurring in 1997. After 2030, it won’t happen again until 2063.
Hasan Ahmad Al-Hariri, CEO of a Dubai-based astronomical group, confirmed the event, noting that it’s not unusual for Islamic lunar months to fall twice in one calendar year, as they shift by 10-11 days annually.
