When will Ramadan occur twice in one year?

Muslims around the world will experience the rare occurrence of fasting twice in the same Gregorian year in 2030, as Ramadan will fall in both January and December, according to Saudi astronomer Khaled Al-Zaaq.

This phenomenon arises from the difference between the Islamic Hijri calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, and the solar-based Gregorian calendar. Because the lunar year is shorter—lasting approximately 354 or 355 days—Islamic months shift earlier each year by about 10 to 12 days in relation to the Gregorian calendar.

Zaaq explained in a video posted to his X account that this cycle causes Ramadan to appear twice in a single Gregorian year roughly every three decades. The last time this happened was in 1997 and before that in 1965. It is expected to occur again in 2063.

In 2030, the first Ramadan of the year will begin around January 5, marking the start of the fasting month in the Hijri year 1451 AH. Later that same year, a second Ramadan will commence around December 26, aligning with the start of 1452 AH.

This means that Muslims will observe a total of approximately 36 days of fasting in 2030—completing a full month in January and then fasting for the final few days of December when Ramadan begins again.