Afghanistan: Ramadan timetable 2027, Imsak and Iftar times

Kabul's timetable on Monday 8 February

The table above shows Kabul's first day: imsak 05:11, fajr 05:21, sunrise 06:46, iftar 17:29 and isha 18:50. The pre-dawn meal, called sahari in Dari, must be finished before fajr, and imsak is a ten-minute reminder.

A half-hour time zone

Afghanistan uses UTC+4:30, one of the few half-hour offsets in the world, and does not change clocks in summer. Kabul lies close to the meridian of this offset, so its clock time stays near solar time throughout the year.

Across the country the gap is still noticeable: Herat in the west sees sunset later than Kabul, while Jalalabad in the east sees it earlier. Each province should follow its local timetable rather than the capital's figures.

Fifty-five more minutes by early March

Kabul sits at about 34.5 degrees north, so its days lengthen fast in late winter. The fast moves from 12 h 19 min to 12 h 45 min on day 15, then 13 h 14 min on day 29, with iftar reaching 17:55.

Cold mountain air in February

At around 1,800 metres above sea level, Kabul is cold in February, with frosty nights and possible snow. Heating, warm clothing and hot drinks at suhur matter as much as food for anyone fasting in the capital this year.

Daytime temperatures usually rise a little in early March, yet Kabul evenings remain cold through the end of Ramadan. Families often gather around a heater for iftar, and tea is served throughout the evening after tarawih.

Moon sighting and the 2027 calendar

The start of Ramadan is announced by the country's religious authorities after the crescent search on the evening of Sunday 7 February 2027. Afghanistan has at times begun the month on a different day from its neighbours, so the official announcement matters.

If the crescent is confirmed, tarawih opens on 7 February and fasting on Monday 8 February. Afghans will then seek Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights, with the 27th falling on Friday evening, 5 March, before Eid on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March.

Calculation used on this page

These times are computed with the Muslim World League angles, 18 degrees for fajr and 17 degrees for isha. Afghan mosques often use the Hanafi convention for asr and their own tables, so differences of a few minutes may appear.

Bolani, shorwa and the Afghan iftar

Iftar in Afghan homes usually opens with dates and water, followed by shorwa, a meat and vegetable soup, and freshly baked naan. Bolani, thin flatbreads stuffed with potato or leek, and pakora fritters are popular, as is kabuli palaw.

For Eid, families prepare haft mewa, a mixture of seven dried fruits and nuts soaked in water, together with cookies such as kulcha. Children go from house to house greeting relatives and receiving small gifts of money, called eidi.

Tips for a winter Ramadan in Kabul

Short, cold days help with hunger and thirst, but the cold itself demands energy. The following suggestions are useful for residents, students and anyone travelling between Kabul and the provinces during the holy month this year:

• Eat a warm sahari with eggs, bread and tea
• Keep rooms heated for pre-dawn prayers
• Check provincial times, as Herat breaks its fast later
• Leave travel margins on winter mountain roads
• Wait for the official Eid announcement

When does the fast end in Kabul on the first day?

On Monday 8 February 2027, Kabul breaks its fast at 17:29. Visitors arriving from Iran or Pakistan should remember that Afghanistan's half-hour offset differs from both neighbours, so phone clocks must be set correctly before relying on any prayer app.

Is the fast hard in Kabul in 2027?

In terms of length, no: between 12 h 19 min and 13 h 14 min, and thirst is limited in cool weather. The main difficulty is the winter itself, which makes early waking and night prayers more demanding for many families.