Ramadan moon sighted in Saudi Arabia, first day of fasting on Feb 18
The Ramadan crescent was sighted in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday evening, which means the first day of fasting will be observed on February 18.
The holy month of Ramadan is officially upon us following the sighting of the crescent moon in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday evening. Consequently, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has formally confirmed that the fasting for the year 1447 AH will begin on Wednesday, February 18.
Following suit, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait also announced that they will join the Kingdom in starting Ramadan on Wednesday. The UAE’s Presidential Court released a statement confirming the date after verification by their official moon-sighting committee, as reported by Gulf News.
However, the start of the holy month will vary across the globe. Several other countries that scanned the skies on Tuesday reported that the Ramadan crescent was not visible. This list of nations includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey, as well as Asian countries such as the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei. Because the moon was not sighted, these regions will complete the full 30 days of the month of Shaban on February 18, meaning their first day of fasting will be observed on Thursday, February 19.
Meanwhile, in South Asia, the moon sighting committees of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh—as well as Iran—are scheduled to convene on Wednesday, February 18. Since Tuesday marked only the 28th of Shaban in these regions, they are looking for the moon a day later than the Gulf countries.
Regardless of the specific start date, the Muslim world is welcoming Ramadan with deep religious devotion. Over a billion believers are preparing to fast to practice patience, self-discipline, and generosity. Because Islamic months follow a lunar cycle lasting 29 or 30 days, the dates are determined by actual moon sightings rather than a fixed calendar. As the ninth month of the Islamic year which is roughly 10 days shorter than the solar Gregorian year Ramadan shifts annually, moving gradually across the seasons.
