The primary day of fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia will probably be both Wednesday, February 18 or Thursday, February 19, relying on the sighting of the brand new moon.
Different nations comply with their very own moon sightings. Some use astronomical calculations for lunar phases, whereas others depend on conventional native sightings to verify the beginning of the brand new month.
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Ramadan is set by the Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the sighting of the crescent moon. Saudi Arabia and different Muslim-majority nations depend on the testimonies of moon sighters to find out the beginning of the month.
How is the Ramadan moon sighted?
For the moon to be seen, the crescent should set after the solar. This enables the sky to be darkish sufficient to identify the small sliver of the brand new moon.
After the solar units on the night time of February 17, the twenty ninth day of the month of Shaban within the Hijri calendar, moon sighters face west with a transparent view of the horizon for a primary glimpse of the crescent moon.
If the moon is sighted, the month of Ramadan begins, with the primary day of fasting being February 18. In any other case, Shaban will full 30 days, and the primary fasting day will probably be February 19.
In Saudi Arabia, testimonies of people that have noticed the moon are recorded, and the Supreme Court docket decides on when Ramadan ought to start.
In an effort to view the moon at sundown time, there are three necessary components astronomers search for:
Elongation: The moon must be far sufficient from the solar to make sure its gentle will not be drowned out. For a dependable naked-eye sighting, the moon should be 10-12 levels away from the solar. Whether it is nearer than 7 levels, then the crescent could also be bodily too skinny to mirror sufficient gentle for the human eye to see.
Altitude: The upper the moon is at sundown, the much less it has to compete with the thick, hazy environment and the glow of the sky close to the horizon. An altitude of 10 levels is often ample for clear naked-eye visibility, whereas decrease altitudes of three to five levels could also be satisfactory with the assistance of optical aids.
Lag time: That is the time between sundown and moonset. For dependable naked-eye viewing, there normally must be not less than 45 minutes for the sky to darken sufficient to see the moon. Longer durations are even higher.
When does Ramadan start in numerous nations?
In response to Crescent Moon Watch, a moon tracker run by the UK’s Nautical Almanac Workplace, Ramadan’s new moon will start on February 17 at 3:01pm Mecca time (12:01 GMT).
On that night time in Mecca, the solar will set at 6:19pm (15:19 GMT), and the moon will probably be seen for less than three minutes, setting at 6:22pm (15:22 GMT). With the brand new moon solely three hours and 18 minutes outdated, it is rather unlikely that anybody throughout the globe will see the crescent moon that night, that means the primary day of Ramadan will start on February 19.
On the night of February 18, the brand new moon ought to be seen in most elements of the world. By that point, the moon will probably be almost 26 hours outdated. It is going to be larger within the sky and stay seen for for much longer after sundown, making it simply observable to the general public.
North America
The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), each of which comply with astronomical calculations, have formally introduced that Ramadan will start on February 18, 2026. Their calculations state that, at sundown someplace on the globe, the elongation of the moon ought to be not less than 8 levels, and the moon should be not less than 5 levels above the horizon for it to be seen.
Europe
The European Council for Fatwa and Analysis (ECFR) has declared that Thursday, February 19, would be the first day of Ramadan. ECFR notes that whereas the astronomical beginning of the moon happens on Tuesday, it will likely be not possible to see that night both with the bare eye or by means of telescopes and observational devices. Turkiye has additionally declared February 19 as the primary day of the holy month of Ramadan, for a similar causes.
Center East
Most Center Jap nations, led by Saudi Arabia, won’t make a remaining announcement till the night of Tuesday, February 17. If the Saudi Supreme Court docket receives an affidavit of a sighting on Tuesday night time, it might declare Wednesday as the primary day of Ramadan. However that is not possible for the explanations talked about above.
Asia
Throughout Asia, the beginning of Ramadan 2026 will most certainly be Thursday, February 19, because the moon will set earlier than the solar in that a part of the world on Tuesday night time.
Singapore has formally confirmed the beginning of Ramadan to be on Thursday, whereas nations in South Asia together with India and Pakistan have forecast Thursday, February 19 as the primary day of fasting.
Africa
In Africa, the beginning of Ramadan follows an identical sample to the remainder of the world, with most nations anticipating it to start on Thursday, February 19.
Oceania
The Australian Nationwide Imams Council have introduced that Ramadan will begin on February 19.
Why is Ramadan holy for Muslims, and what’s the significance?
Muslims consider that Ramadan is the month when the primary verses of the Quran had been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad almost 1,450 years in the past.
All through the month, observing Muslims quick from simply earlier than the dawn prayer, Fajr, to the sundown prayer, Maghrib.
The quick entails abstinence from consuming, ingesting, smoking, and sexual relations to realize better “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.
Fasting is likely one of the 5 pillars of Islam, together with the Muslim declaration of religion, day by day prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca if bodily and financially succesful.
In lots of Muslim-majority nations, working hours are lowered, and most eating places are closed in the course of the fasting hours.
Ramadan greetings in numerous languages
Varied Muslim-majority nations have a personalised greeting of their native languages. “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem” are widespread greetings exchanged over the month, wishing the recipient a blessed and beneficiant month, respectively.
