Saudi Arabia’s official moon-sighting committee has confirmed that the crescent moon (Hilal) marking the beginning of Shawwal was not visible on the 29th night of Ramadan. As a result, Muslims in the Kingdom will complete the full 30 days of fasting, and the Eid al-Fitr celebrations will commence on Friday, March 20, 2026.
The announcement, issued by the Kingdom’s Supreme Court, follows a traditional Islamic lunar calendar procedure. Under this system, the fasting month of Ramadan concludes either when the Shawwal crescent is sighted on the 29th evening, signalling a 29-day Ramadan, or after 30 consecutive days of fasting if the moon remains unseen. The official sighting is determined by the testimony of credible witnesses and the subsequent decision of religious authorities.
Saudi Arabia’s declaration holds considerable weight across the global Muslim community. Many Muslim-majority nations and international Islamic organizations historically align their Eid al-Fitr observances with the Saudi announcement due to the Kingdom’s role as the custodian of Islam’s two holiest sites. However, the practice is not universal. Some countries, including Morocco, Oman, and parts of South Asia and Africa, maintain independent moon-sighting committees or rely on local astronomical calculations to determine their own dates, which can occasionally lead to a one-day difference in the start of Eid.
The lunar-based Islamic calendar is approximately 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year, causing Islamic holidays like Eid al-Fitr to shift earlier each year. The sighting of the Hilal, therefore, is a critical annual ritual that concludes the month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, charity, and spiritual reflection. For millions of Muslims worldwide, the official confirmation from Saudi authorities finalises plans for communal Eid prayers, family gatherings, and the distribution of Zakat al-Fitr, the obligatory charity paid before the holiday.
The decision underscores the ongoing interplay between traditional astronomical observation and modern communication in the global Muslim world. While the Saudi verdict provides a definitive reference point, the variance in local practices highlights the diverse ways Islamic jurisprudence is applied regarding moon sighting. For 2026, the unified start of Eid on March 20 will be observed in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and numerous other countries that follow its lead, while others will await their own local confirmations in the days prior.
