On Tuesday evening, February 17, 2026, the royal court of Saudi Arabia announced that the crescent moon had been sighted, confirming that the holy month of Ramadan would begin on Wednesday, February 18. This announcement set in motion a sacred tradition observed by more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, as they prepared to embark on a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. The confirmation from Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's two holiest sites, carries significant weight for Muslim communities globally, many of whom look to the Kingdom’s moon-sighting teams to determine the official start of Ramadan each year, as reported by Middle East Eye and the Saudi Press Agency.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is a period steeped in spiritual meaning. It commemorates the moment the angel Jibril (Gabriel) revealed the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad—a foundational event in Islamic tradition. The Islamic calendar, known as the Hijri calendar, is based on lunar cycles, with each year consisting of 12 months of 29 or 30 days, causing Ramadan and related holidays like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to shift roughly 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar, according to BBC and Middle East Eye.
The tradition of determining Ramadan’s start by the physical sighting of the crescent moon, rather than astronomical calculation, has been followed since the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Teams of observers, scattered across Saudi Arabia in areas far from city lights, scan the sky after evening prayers. This year, an astronomical observatory more than 100 kilometers northwest of Riyadh hosted one such team, as noted by Agence France-Presse. Once these observers report their findings to the Supreme Court, the official announcement is made—an event that ripples across the Muslim world.
Following Saudi Arabia’s declaration, Gulf neighbors such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Palestine also confirmed that Ramadan would commence on Wednesday. Sunni religious authorities in Iraq and Lebanon echoed this decision, highlighting the Kingdom’s influence in shaping the religious calendar in the region. However, not all countries aligned with this timeline. Egypt, Brunei, Malaysia, Turkey, Indonesia, Tunisia, Libya, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Syria, and Oman, among others, announced that they would begin fasting on Thursday, February 19, citing their own moon-sighting results. Even outside the Muslim-majority world, countries like the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, France, and Australia scheduled Ramadan’s start for Thursday, reflecting the diversity of practice and interpretation within the global Muslim community, as detailed by Middle East Eye and AFP.
This divergence in start dates is not new. Each year, debates arise between traditionalists who insist on direct visual confirmation and astronomers who advocate for calculated predictions. This year’s controversy was particularly pointed. The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology in the UAE and Oman’s Main Committee for Moon Sighting both declared that the crescent moon would not be visible on Tuesday, even with advanced telescopes. Imad Ahmed, founder and director of the New Crescent Society in the UK, stated to Middle East Eye, "On Tuesday 17 February 2026, the crescent moon is astronomically impossible to see, whether by high powered telescopes or by the unaided eye anywhere in the Middle East—indeed, in the whole of Asia, Africa, or Europe." Similarly, Abu Dhabi-based astronomer Mohammad Odeh warned, "Such reports, if they do occur, definitively confirm the error some individuals may make in mistakenly believing they have sighted a crescent moon that is not present in the sky." Despite these scientific objections, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf states proceeded with their traditional approach, underscoring the enduring role of religious and cultural practices in the face of technological advances.
Saudi Arabia’s reliance on the Umm al-Qura calendar, which is based on astronomical calculations and marks key Islamic dates years in advance, adds another layer of complexity. While the calendar had already designated Wednesday, February 18, as the start of Ramadan for 2026, the official declaration still hinges on the physical sighting—a process that sometimes leads to discrepancies with scientific predictions, as noted by Middle East Eye. This practice has drawn both criticism and support, with some religious scholars urging local communities to conduct their own sightings, while others continue to follow Saudi Arabia’s lead for the sake of unity.
For observant Muslims, Ramadan is a time of profound devotion and self-discipline. Each day begins before dawn with a meal called suhoor, followed by a fast from sunrise to sunset. The fast is broken at sunset with iftar, a meal often shared with family and friends. Beyond abstaining from food and water, Muslims are encouraged to engage in additional prayers, such as the nightly Taraweeh, read the Quran, perform acts of charity, and cultivate gratitude and compassion. The month is also marked by greetings such as "Ramadan Mubarak," meaning "blessed Ramadan," and communal gatherings that reinforce social bonds. As the BBC highlights, fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, considered obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims. Exemptions exist for young children, the elderly, travelers, the sick, and women who are pregnant, nursing, or menstruating. Those exempt are encouraged to participate in other aspects of Ramadan and may make up missed fasts after the month concludes.
Ramadan’s impact extends beyond religious observance. In many Muslim-majority countries, working hours in both public and private sectors, as well as school schedules, are reduced to accommodate the demands of fasting. The rhythm of daily life shifts, with bustling night markets, late-night prayers, and increased charitable giving. The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid al-Fitr, a joyous festival expected to begin on the night of March 18, 2026. On Eid morning, Muslims gather in mosques for communal prayers, exchange greetings of "Eid Mubarak," don new clothes, share festive meals, and give sadaqah, a voluntary charitable contribution, as described by Islamic Relief and other sources.
Despite ongoing debates between astronomers and religious authorities, the start of Ramadan remains a moment of unity and anticipation for Muslims everywhere. Whether determined by the eye or the telescope, the crescent moon signals a month of spiritual renewal, community, and reflection—values that transcend borders and calendars alike.