Wednesday 01 / April / 2026
Muscat: While Oman fasts almost 14 hours currently, some people outside Oman fast much longer or shorter hours.
Muscat begins its fast five minutes before Fajr’s call to prayers, at 4:00AM, and Maghrib’s call to prayer starts at 6:38PM, making that 14 hours and 38 minutes of uninterrupted fasting.
However, people in the Argentinian city of Ushuaia fast shorter hours, with Fajr starting at 7:05AM and Maghrib starting at 5:49PM, making for just 10 hours and 44 minutes of fasting.
Murmansk in Russia has longer fasting hours, with Fajr starting at 1:30AM and Maghrib starting at 10:54PM, making for over 22 hours of fasting each day.
Murmansk and Ushuaia are considered exceptions to the general rule, however, with the Islamic Centre of Argentina reporting fasting hours closer to 6AM until 6 PM for 12 hours of fasting, and St. Petersburg Islamic Centre reporting Fajr at 2:22AM to Maghrib at 9:13.
Europe also has longer fasting times than Oman, with students struggling to balance meals with a good night’s rest.
Rima al Yahmadi, a student at the Marburg University in Germany, told Times of Oman, “I have been spending the entire holy month in Germany, including Eid al Fitr. It’s harder here in Germany because we fast from 3:30AM until 9PM. It’s also getting warmer and most buildings lack air conditioning here, which makes it harder. Still, there are some good parts.
“This was a great day because it was the first time I celebrated my birthday in Ramadan,” she added. “My friends surprised me with a birthday cake after Iftar.”
Zulfa Al Shibli, an 18-year-old medicine student in the university of Auckland in New Zealand, is fasting approximately 12 hours each day. Zulfa, said, “I was extremely excited to experience Ramadan abroad,” and added that she tends to have Iftar alone, which is why she has to be careful to pack something with her for late university classes.
Khulood al Weshahi, a third year geology student at the university of Queensland in Australia, added, “It’s probably easier here because of the cool weather. I would like to share the moment of the group iftar prepared by the university’s muslim society.
“It’s overwhelming to see a large number of Muslims having their iftar together on a daily basis, and it gives me the opportunity to meet new people,” she added.
Fasting hours in Rhodes Island, USA are more forgiving than in Europe, and are around the same as in Oman.
Adil, who is a Phd student in the United States, said, “We are fasting about 15 hours a day currently. It’s harder, not because of the hours, but missing the family gatherings. I miss hearing the azan. Ramadan brings us together and so what makes it hard is the lack of gatherings.
“When the entire family meets in Oman,” he added, “it’s a great memory. My friends in the USA cannot believe that more than 100 cousins and uncles break the fast together every week at my grandfather’s house.”
