Ramadan fasting is practiced each day from dawn until sunset.
The fast begins at dawn, traditionally linked with fajr, the first of Islam’s five daily prayers, and ends at sunset, when maghrib begins. Muslims generally eat a predawn meal called suhur before the fast and break it with iftar after sunset. Dates and water are traditional foods for beginning iftar, though local customs vary widely.
Dawn does not mean sunrise. The fast normally starts when daylight first appears, so the fasting period can begin well before the sun is visible above the horizon. Likewise, sunset means the sun has gone below the horizon, not midnight or the end of the evening.
The length of each daily fast changes with location and season. In high-latitude regions, dawn and sunset can be separated by exceptionally long periods, and communities may follow specialized scholarly guidance when normal day-night cycles become extreme. The fast also includes abstaining from drink and certain other acts, not merely skipping meals.