Iraq: Ramadan timetable 2027, Imsak and Iftar times

Opening-day times in Baghdad

The table above gives Baghdad's first day: imsak 05:19, fajr 05:29, sunrise 06:53, sunset and iftar 17:40, isha 19:00. Suhur must be finished before fajr, and imsak gives a ten-minute safety margin used by many Iraqi families.

Basra, further south and further east

Basra lies about three degrees south and three degrees east of the capital. Its sun sets earlier, at 17:31 on day 1, and its winter day is slightly longer, so the fast lasts 12 h 27 min instead of 12 h 21 min.

Northern cities such as Mosul or Erbil sit at higher latitude and have shorter February days, but their sunset comes later than in Basra. Residents there should use a local timetable rather than Baghdad's figures, which only apply to the capital.

The fast lengthens by 53 minutes

Between Monday 8 February and Monday 8 March 2027, Baghdad's fast grows from 12 h 21 min to 13 h 14 min. Iftar moves 24 minutes later, to 18:04, and fajr moves 29 minutes earlier, to 05:00, as spring approaches Mesopotamia.

Two announcements, sometimes two dates

In Iraq, the Sunni Endowment and the Shia religious authorities, notably the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, each issue their own moon-sighting decision. Their dates sometimes differ by a day, both for the start and for Eid.

For 2027, the first fast is expected on Monday 8 February, with tarawih from the evening before for those who pray it, though a day's delay is possible. Shia practice also tends to place iftar a few minutes after sunset, at maghrib.

Calculation and local calendars

The times shown use the Muslim World League method with 18 degrees for fajr and 17 degrees for isha. Iraqi mosque calendars may use other parameters, so a few minutes of difference at dawn or nightfall should not be surprising.

Iraqi tables at sunset

Iftar typically starts with dates and water or yoghurt, followed by lentil soup, called shorbat adas. Dolma, vegetables stuffed with rice and meat, and tashreeb, bread soaked in broth, are popular main dishes in Baghdad homes during the month.

After the evening prayers, men in many neighbourhoods play mheibes, a traditional team game in which one side hides a ring and the other must guess which hand holds it. The musaharati drummer still walks some streets before dawn.

Advice for fasting in Iraq

February is still part of the cool season in Iraq, with mild days, cold nights and occasional rain. Fasting is comfortable compared with summer, though a few simple habits make the month easier for workers and students:

• Follow the announcement of your own religious authority
• Use Basra or local times outside the capital
• Drink water and laban between iftar and suhur
• Keep warm clothing for night prayers
• Plan for a possible one-day gap in Eid dates

Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr 2027

Sunnis will look for Laylat al-Qadr mainly on the 27th night, expected the evening of Friday 5 March, while Shia emphasise the 19th, 21st and 23rd nights. Eid al-Fitr should fall on Tuesday 9 March or Wednesday 10 March 2027.

Before Eid, kitchens fill with the smell of kleicha, the Iraqi date-filled pastry flavoured with cardamom and served with strong sweet tea. Children receive new clothes and money, and families visit relatives and cemeteries on the morning of the feast.

What time is iftar in Basra on the first day?

Basra breaks its fast at 17:31 on Monday 8 February 2027, nine minutes before Baghdad. Its first fast lasts 12 h 27 min, six minutes longer than in the capital, because the southern port is closer to the equator.

Why can Iraqi Sunnis and Shia start on different days?

Each community follows its own religious authority and its own criteria for accepting a crescent sighting. When the moon is hard to see on the evening of 29 Shaaban, one side may start fasting a day before the other.