During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset each day, meaning no food or drink during daylight hours. Outside that window, you eat two meals: one before dawn (suhoor) and one after sunset (iftar). So yes, you eat during Ramadan, just not between sunrise and sundown.
The fasting period lasts roughly 29 to 30 days. In 2026, Ramadan runs from February 17 through March 18, though exact dates shift each year because Islam follows a lunar calendar.
What the Fast Actually Covers
From the moment light first appears on the horizon until the sun sets, you abstain from all food, all drinks (including water), and smoking. This isn’t a partial fast or a calorie restriction. Nothing passes your lips during those hours. Once the sun sets, you’re free to eat and drink until dawn the next morning, giving you a window of several hours each night to nourish and hydrate your body.
How long the daily fast lasts depends on where you live and the time of year. Because Ramadan falls in February and March in 2026, fasting hours will be shorter in the Northern Hemisphere (roughly 11 to 13 hours) compared to summer months, when fasts can stretch beyond 16 hours in some regions.
The Two Meals: Suhoor and Iftar
Suhoor is the pre-dawn meal, eaten in the early morning before the first light becomes visible. Its purpose is practical: fuel your body for the long stretch ahead. Most people wake an hour or two before dawn to eat, then begin their fast.
Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at sunset. Traditionally, people start with dates and water, followed by soups, bread, appetizers, and eventually larger dishes. In Morocco, for instance, the classic iftar spread includes harira (a lentil and chickpea soup), honey-soaked pastries called chebakia, and mint tea. In other cultures, the specific dishes vary widely, but the pattern of starting light and building toward a fuller meal is common.
Some families eat iftar in stages: a lighter first course at sunset, then a more substantial meal later in the evening. Late-evening dishes like stews or tagines fill the gap before suhoor.
Who Is Exempt From Fasting
Not every Muslim is expected to fast. Islamic guidelines exempt several groups:
- Children who haven’t reached puberty
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women who believe fasting could harm themselves or their baby
- Women during menstruation or postnatal bleeding
- People who are ill and whose condition would worsen with fasting
- Elderly individuals who cannot physically tolerate fasting
- Travelers on long journeys
- People with mental disabilities that prevent them from understanding the fast
Those who miss days due to temporary reasons (like illness or travel) typically make up the missed fasts later in the year. Those who cannot fast at all, such as the chronically ill or elderly, often provide meals to someone in need instead.
What Happens If You Eat by Accident
If you forget you’re fasting and eat or drink something, your fast is still valid. This is a well-established ruling across the major Islamic schools of thought. The majority of scholars, including those in the Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Hanbali traditions, agree that unintentional eating does not break the fast and requires no makeup day or penalty. The guidance is simple: stop as soon as you remember, and continue fasting as normal. The same applies if water accidentally enters your throat while rinsing your mouth or bathing.
The key distinction is intent. Genuine forgetfulness is forgiven. If something could have been prevented but you were careless, that’s treated differently.
Medications and Medical Treatments
Anything swallowed orally breaks the fast, which creates questions for people who take daily medication. The general consensus among Islamic scholars is that non-oral treatments, including injections, inhalers, suppositories, and eye or ear drops, are permitted during fasting hours because they don’t involve eating or drinking. Some variation exists among different scholarly opinions, so people with specific concerns often consult their local religious authority.
For medications that must be taken by mouth, many people work with their doctor to shift doses to the evening hours between iftar and suhoor.
Staying Hydrated on Limited Hours
Dehydration is the most common physical challenge during Ramadan, especially in warmer climates or during longer fasting days. You have a limited window to drink, so being deliberate about it matters.
A widely practiced approach is the 4-2-2 pattern: four glasses of water at iftar, two during the nighttime hours, and two at suhoor. Research from an Indonesian study of Ramadan fasters found that people who front-loaded their water intake at iftar (the 4-2-2 pattern) were nearly three times more likely to meet their daily hydration needs compared to those who spread their intake evenly or drank most of it later. Aiming for eight glasses total between sunset and dawn is a reasonable target.
Caffeinated drinks like coffee and strong tea work against you here, since caffeine is a mild diuretic. Water, diluted juices, and hydrating foods like watermelon or cucumber do more to keep you comfortable through the next day’s fast.
What to Eat for Lasting Energy
The foods you choose at suhoor make a noticeable difference in how you feel by mid-afternoon. Foods that digest slowly and release energy gradually prevent the blood sugar crashes that cause fatigue, headaches, and difficulty concentrating.
Complex carbohydrates are the foundation of a good suhoor. Oats, whole wheat bread or chapati, brown rice, quinoa, and lentils all digest slowly and keep blood sugar stable for hours. Pairing these with protein slows digestion even further and helps prevent sudden hunger. Eggs, grilled chicken, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or chickpeas are all effective options.
What to avoid at suhoor is just as important. Sugary cereals, white bread, and pastries cause a quick spike in blood sugar followed by a crash well before sunset. Salty foods increase thirst during the day. Save the sweets and richer dishes for iftar, when you can follow them with plenty of water.
Exercise While Fasting
Physical activity during Ramadan is fine, but timing and intensity matter. Training during daylight hours while fasted can lead to dehydration and reduced performance, since you can’t replace fluids or calories until sunset. Research on athletes during Ramadan found that daytime training often resulted in decreased training quality.
The more practical option is exercising in the evening, about two to three hours after iftar. By then, your body has had time to rehydrate and take in some calories, so your energy levels are closer to normal. Light activity like walking is generally well tolerated at any time of day, but more intense workouts are best saved for after you’ve broken your fast.