By Alexander Mackey Okori
Each year, as Muslims prepare for the start of Ramadan, a familiar question comes up: why does the holy month keep shifting on the calendar?
One year it begins in March, another year in February, and over time it seems to move steadily earlier, leaving many people wondering what is behind the change.
The answer lies in the calendar used to determine the timing of Ramadan, which follows the cycle of the moon rather than the solar system that shapes the civil calendar used in most countries.
While the dates for work, school, and government are based on the earth’s journey around the sun, Islamic religious observances are set according to the lunar cycle.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and its start is marked by the sighting of the new crescent moon shortly after sunset.
Religious leaders in different countries gather moon sighting reports before announcing the beginning of the fasting month, meaning the exact start date can vary slightly depending on location.
This practice ties the month directly to the natural lunar cycle rather than a fixed date.
A lunar month lasts about twenty-nine or thirty days, depending on the moon’s phases, and twelve such months make a year of about three hundred fifty-four days.
By contrast, the solar year used in the civil calendar lasts about three hundred sixty-five days.
The difference of roughly eleven days each year is what causes Ramadan to shift earlier annually when viewed against the civil calendar.
Because there is no adjustment in the Islamic calendar to match the solar year, the gap continues to grow year after year.
Over time, Ramadan moves through all seasons in a cycle that takes a little more than three decades to complete.
This is why people may experience the fasting month during different daylight lengths over the years, depending on where they live.
The Islamic calendar dates back to the early Muslim community and was formalised during the time of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).
Its starting point was linked to the migration from Mecca to Medina, an event known as the Hijra.
Since then, the calendar has continued to follow the lunar cycle without adding extra days or months to align it with the solar year.
Religious scholars say this system has remained in place because key acts of worship, including fasting during Ramadan and the annual pilgrimage, are tied to the lunar calendar.
Maintaining the same method ensures consistency across generations and across Muslim communities worldwide.
Astronomy experts also note that the movement of Ramadan is not random but follows a predictable pattern driven by the difference between the lunar and solar years.
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