Web Desk: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have officially sighted the Ramadan crescent, marking the beginning of the holy month. In these countries, the first fast is expected to start on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
Earlier, Oman had already announced the start of Ramadan, making it the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country to declare the holy month. According to Oman’s central moon-sighting committee, the last day of Sha’ban will be on Wednesday, February 18, and fasting will commence on Thursday, February 19. Mufti Khalan bin Nabhani Al-Kharusi confirmed that this decision follows long-established religious and scientific principles.
Meanwhile, several countries in Central Asia—Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan—did not witness the crescent. Consequently, their first fast will begin on Thursday, February 19, after completing the full 30 days of Sha’ban.
Southeast Asian nations Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei have also officially declared Thursday, February 19, as the first day of Ramadan. The announcement comes after their respective religious authorities confirmed that the crescent was not visible on Tuesday evening.
In Europe, France’s Council of Muslim Faith confirmed that Ramadan will begin on Thursday, February 19, based on astronomical calculations. The new moon was born on Monday, February 17, at 1:01 am Paris time but was not visible. Similarly, Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs announced the holy month would start on February 19, with the first Tarawih prayers to be observed on Wednesday evening.
Singapore’s Islamic Religious Council also confirmed the start of Ramadan on Thursday, February 19, after the crescent was not visible on February 17.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are still awaiting official announcements from their authorities to determine whether the first fast will fall on Wednesday or Thursday.
This year, a notable level of uniformity is emerging across the Muslim world regarding the start of Ramadan, reflecting coordinated religious and astronomical observations.
