Live: Ramadan 2026 Begins in Saudi Arabia Wednesday Feb 18
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Jordan and other Arab states in the Middle East will sight the Ramadan 2026 Moon (Ramadan Moon Sighting 1447) today i.e. Tuesday February 17, 2026 to confirm the beginning of the Holy Month of Fasting
Ramadan 2026 Moon Sighting Live Updates: The New Moon of the Holy Month of Ramadan has been sighted in Saudi Arabia today, accordingly the Month of Fasting will begin from Wednesday February 18, 2026.
"The Crescent Moon signalling the start of Ramadan has been sighted in the Kingdom", Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court announced on Tuesday.
"Ramadan will therefore start on Wednesday, Feb. 18, and Muslims will refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during the holy month", it added.
Ramadan Start Date Country-wise
Similar statement has also been issued by the Moon Sighting Committees and Religious Authorities in United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain and other Arab States.
"Ramadan will commence tomorrow, after sighting of the Crescent is confirmed on February 17", UAE's Presidential Court announced based on the decision of the Moon Sighting Committee.
The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) has also confirmed the first day of Ramadan as Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
Following the spotting of the Ramadan Moon Today, the Tarweeh Prayers of the First Night of the Holy Month will be offered after Isha Prayers today i.e. Tuesday Feb 17, 2026.
Oman, Syria and Jordan, on the other hand said, The Holy Month of Ramadan will start on Thursday February 19, 2026, after failure to sight the Crescent Moon.
The first country to announce the beginning of the holy month from Thursday Feb 19 was Brunei. In Japan, the first day of the Holy Month will start on February 19, the country's Hilal Vision Committee announced.
The Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani also announced that the Holy Month in the Philippines will start on February 19, 2026.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Turkey are also the countries where Ramadan will start on Thursday Feb 19, 2026.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries will announce tomorrow the exact date to commence Fasting of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Wifaqul Ulama London in the United Kingdom (UK) will also confirm on Wednesday the first day of Ramadan 2026.
3:45 PM (Makkah Time): Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Jordan and other Arab states in the Middle East will sight the Ramadan 2026 Moon (Ramadan Moon Sighting 1447) today i.e. Tuesday February 17, 2026 to confirm the beginning of the Holy Month of Fasting.
Ramadan Moon Sighting 2026 in Saudi Arabia
The Royal Court of Saudi Arabia has issued an appeal to all Muslims in the Kingdom to spot the crescent, the Ramadan Moon, today i.e. Tuesday 29th Sha'ban 1447 H, corresponding to February 17, 2026.
In a request to local residents, the Saudi Supreme Court said, "Whoever sights the crescent by naked eyes or through binoculars to report to the nearest court and register his testimony, or report to the authority of the region’s center in his area where he sighted the crescent to facilitate his reaching to the nearest court."
Similar appeals to sight the Ramadan 2026 Moon have also been made by the religious affair ministeries and moon sighting committees in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Palestine, Muscat, Egypt, Yemen, and other states in the Middle East, and also in the countries like the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The official confirmation of Ramadan moon sighting by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia will be announced after Maghrib Prayers Tuesday evening.
"The Supreme Court’s special session will sit and deliberate on Tuesday evening the results of the crescent search and will issue a decision", the reports added.
The Kingdom’s main observatories are in Sudair and Tumair, and sightings of the new moon from the two observatories are part of the official decision.
Ramadan Moon Sighting USA, UK
Notable among them are the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Qatar, Ministry of Religious Affairs UAE, Wifaq ul Ulama UK, Australian National Imams Council, the Fiqh Council of North America, French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), Majils Ugama Islam Singpaore - they have all appealed the people living in the respective countries and areas to sight the Ramadan 2026 Moon and report to them.
Muslims across the world sight the new moon on every 29th of the month as per the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The appeals to sight the Ramadan Moon has also been issued as per the following of the The Prophet (PBUH).
If the Crescent Moon is spotted on 29th, the ongoing month ends and the new month begins on the next day. However, if the Moon is not spotted on 29th, the next day is counted as the 30th day of the ongoing month, and the new month starts a day later.
Ramadan 2026 Start Date
Accordingly, Ramadan 2026 fasting in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states and Middle East countries will start on Wednesday February 18, 2026 if the New Moon is spotted in the Kingdom today.
In case the Ramadan Moon is not sighted today then Wednesday will be the 30th day of Shaban 1447 AH and the Holy Month of fasting will start on Thursday February 19, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey has based on astronomical assessments announced that Ramadan 1447 AH will begin on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The Presidency also said that the first Taraweeh prayers will be observed after Isha on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
The official Hijri Committee in Oman has also announced Thursday, February 19, 2026 as the first day of Ramadan based on astronomical assessments.
Ramadan Working Hours
Saudi Arabia has announced reduced working hours during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The authorities in the Kingdom have also re-scheduled school and college timings for the Holy Month.
The General Directorate of Education in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia said that the school-day in public schools will begin at 10 a.m., while classes in adult education institutions will start at 9:30 p.m.
The Directorate further clarified that teaching and administrative staff are required to report 15 minutes prior to the start of the first class period.
Similarly, the General Directorate of Education in the Makkah Region confirmed that morning schools will begin at 9 a.m., while adult education classes will commence at 9:30 p.m.
The Directorate also stated that official working hours for all employees during Ramadan will be five hours per day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., ensuring the continued efficiency of operations and the maintenance of administrative discipline throughout the month.
Reduced working hours for The Holy Month of Ramadan has also been declared by the respective authorities in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and other Arab countries.
Ramadan Moon Sighting India, Pakistan
Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries will spot the Ramadan Moon on Wednesday February 18, 2026.
Similarly, Muslims in the United States (USA), United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Germany and other countries too will start fasting of Ramadan either on Wednesday February 18 or 19, 2026.
The final decision will be taken on Tuesday February 17, 2026 by the moon sighting committee operating in these countries.
The Australian Fatwa Council and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) have meanwhile announced based on not astronomical assessments that Ramadan 1447 AH will begin on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The first Taraweeh prayers in the two countries will be offered after Isha on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
While some jobs necessitate longer hours, most employees in the private sector enjoy a two-hour reduction in their workday. Government offices often close early, with working hours for public sector employees reduced to six instead of the usual eight hours.
Special arrangements have also been made in almost all the countries for five daily prayers, Taraweeh (Special Night Prayers offered during Ramadan) and also for Iftar meals that mark the end of daily fast. The Presidency of The Two Holy Mosques earlier released the detailed schedules of the Taraweeh Prayers in Masjid Haram Makkah and Masjid Nabawi in Madinah.
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