Unique Phenomenon: Does Murmansk Only Fast for 1 Hour? Here's the Truth

Murmansk, a city in Russia, reportedly only fasts for 1 hour! This narrative went viral on social media and immediately sparked curiosity among internet users. Many were skeptical, while others questioned how Muslims could only abstain from food and drink for just one hour during Ramadan.

As reported by Kompas.com (14/04/2025), this phenomenon is related to Murmansk’s geographical location above the Arctic Circle.

This position causes the city to experience extreme differences in the duration of daylight and nighttime, so the time of sunrise and sunset—which determine the beginning and end of fasting—can be very short during certain periods.

Geographically, this region experiences extreme natural phenomena such as the midnight sun in summer and the polar night in winter.

As a result of this position, the duration of daylight and nighttime in Murmansk can be very long or very short, depending on the season.

This then affects the time of sunrise and sunset—the two main markers in determining the time of Ramadan fasting.

This is what gave rise to the claim that the duration of fasting in Murmansk is only about one hour.

However, religious practices in regions with extreme conditions usually follow specific guidelines.

This means that the one-hour fasting period is not a condition that lasts throughout Ramadan, but rather an astronomical phenomenon that occurs during a certain period.

The difference in fasting duration between countries occurs due to their geographical position relative to the equator and the poles.