Introduction: Will there be 2 Ramadans in one year? While Ramadan is underway this year, did you know that in about a decade, we can celebrate the holy month twice a year? Let’s explain.
Every year, Ramadan moves back by about 10 to 11 days according to the lunar calendar, meaning that Ramadan will move closer and closer to the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year in the coming years.
Thus, in eight years, in 2030, we may see two Ramadans in one calendar year. The solar calendar and the lunar calendar run apiece from each other and are distinct. The solar calendar is fixed by one Sun, while the lunar calendar is always 11 days shorter. So having two Ramadans is a natural consequence of two different calendars.
Therefore, when 2030 begins, the month of Ramadan will begin in early January, with the expected celebrations of Eid al-Fitr in February 2030. Since the holy month will occur earlier in the year in 2030, the next Ramadan in 2030 will likely be in late December and will go to the next Gregorian calendar year, 2031.
Are you curious to know about Will there be 2 Ramadans in one year? I’ll clarify everything that you want to know. Let’s begin!
Two Ramadans in one solar year? It will be.
The Hijri calendar is separate from astronomical seasons and thus does not use leap days or months to align itself with solar motion. This also results in the calendar being 11 days shorter than calendars that follow the solar year.
This is why – in addition to using the Islamic calendar – most Islamic countries still use the solar calendar to determine important seasons for agriculture or other activities associated with the four seasons.
Interestingly, this allows important Islamic events on the calendar to shift dates relative to traditional solar years gradually. For example, the season of Ramadan consistently occurs early in each solar year, eventually leading to the occurrence of the same season twice in the same year.
Born out of necessity.
Before Muslims used the Hijri calendar, they relied on important Islamic events to mark time and date, such as when the Prophet Muhammad was born.
However, the need for more consistency in timekeeping led a group of Islamic leaders to develop a proper calendar, starting with the year of the Prophet’s first migration.
Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab – also a close associate and father-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad – was ultimately credited with creating the Hijri calendar, which was eventually determined by the phases of the Hijri calendar.
A simple yet complex concept.
Like the Gregorian calendar familiar to most of the world, the Hijri calendar consists of twelve months, each with its name and religious significance. For example, Ramadan is the traditional month of fasting for Muslims, while Muharram marks the beginning of the Hijri Year and is highly sacred.
But unlike the fixed length of each month, the Hijri calendar requires that each month last exactly one full moon, which is one complete cycle from one new moon to the next.
The 12 months in the Hijri calendar are given below:
1. Muharram
2. Safar
3. Rabi Al Awwal
4. Rabi Al Akhar
5. Jumada Al Ula
6. Jumada Al Akhira
7. Rajab
8. Sha’aban
9. Ramadan
10. Shawwal
11. Dhu Al Qaeda
12. Dhu Al Hajj
Although the Islamic calendar’s concept is quite simple, the actual implementation is more complicated. Traditionally, the Islamic calendar was determined by a committee, with actual sightings of the crescent moon to mark the end and start of months accurately.
Strictly speaking, a new month in the Hijri calendar can only begin when the crescent moon is sighted immediately after sunset on the last day of the month. Sometimes, it doesn’t always go as predicted, either because the moon phase still needs to complete an entire cycle or due to bad weather obscuring the view of the moon.
In such cases, an extra day is added to the month, and the beginning of the new month is delayed by the same length – which is why Islamic holidays can sometimes change at short notice.
When were the last 2 Ramadans?
In a video posted on his Twitter account, the astronomer said that the discrepancy between the two calendars meant that Ramadan would occur twice in a Gregorian year, roughly every 30 years. The last time this happened was in 1997; before that, it happened in 1965. April 11, 2022
How many Eids are there in 2030?
According to reports, there will be 2 Ramadans in 2030 and three Eids in 2033. Yes, you heard right! A report states that the Islamic calendar and the Gregorian calendar are different because the Islamic calendar depends on the moon’s cycles.
Will there be 2 Ramadans in 2031?
Knowing when both Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr will fall is a time of anticipation, and that anticipation will grow. However, it turns out that by 2030 there will be two Ramadans to reckon with. There will also be three Eids in 2030 – one of them will be Eid.
Can Ramadan be 31 days?
Ramadan fast lasts a whole month, which can be 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the moon. It is a time of adoration and reflection. During Ramadan, Muslims focus on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their daily lives.
Final thoughts: Will there be 2 Ramadans in one year?
Only the lunar calendar and the cycles of the moon tell when an event like Ramadan will occur. However, part of the lunar month is that it advances by 10-11 days every year.
This means that in 2030, Ramadan will fall both in January and again in December. Since the Hijri calendar has only 354 days, this event will repeat every 33 years. After 2030, we can predict two Ramadans again in 2063.
The Hijri calendar is hard to predict and can only be decided by an official committee. This group is chosen to come together and record sightings of the moon to determine the new month. However, astronomers can predict when they think the new moon will arrive.
Also read: What are the 3 stages of Ramadan?; When can I kiss during Ramadan?; Pakistani Cuisine.
