Eid-ul-Fitr 2026: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced that the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr will be on March 20 after the crescent moon of Shawwal was not sighted. This means that this year the fasting month of Ramadan will have 30 days in the Kingdom.
In India, Wednesday March 18 is the 28th day of Ramadan. Moon sighting will take place in India on March 19, which is the 29th day of Ramadan here.
If the Moon is sighted on Thursday, Eid in India will be on Friday. Otherwise, Eid will be on Saturday, March 21 in India.
Read also | Saudi Eid Moon Sighting LIVE: Eid will be celebrated on Friday, March 20
India usually celebrates Eid a day after Saudi Arabia. However, there were exceptions in the past when both Saudi Arabia and India celebrated Eid on the same day.
1-Importance of the Islamic calendar
Islam uses a lunar calendar. Each month of the lunar calendar begins with the sighting of a new crescent moon called “hilal” in Arabic. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, lunar months have 29 or 30 days depending on the appearance of the moon.
2-How is the date of Eid determined?
Muslims celebrate two Eids – one is Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan. The second is about two months after Eid-ul-Fitr and is called Eid-ul-Adha, commemorating the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim.
Eid-ul-Fitr begins on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth Islamic month after Ramadan. The moon is sighted the night before the new moon begins.
Read also | Was the moon sighted in Saudi Arabia today? Is Eid to be celebrated tomorrow?
So the only way to confirm that Shawwal and other lunar months have started or ended is to see the new crescent moon.
The moon is usually sighted on the last night of the month, whether it is 29 days or 30 days
3- Why physical observation?
Muslims traditionally follow the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, who instructed them to start fasting when they see the moon and break their fast when they see it again at the end of the month.
So, if the moon is visible, Ramadan ends and Eid is the next day. If not, Ramadan lasts 30 days and Eid follows the next day.
4-Why the different dates?
Moon visibility depends on geography, weather conditions and time zones.
This is why Saudi Arabia, India and others may celebrate Eid on different days. This year, for example, Ramadan 2026 began on February 18 in Saudi Arabia, while it began on February 19 in India.
Saudi Arabia is significant because it houses Islam’s holiest mosques Mecca and Medina.
5-observation vs calculation
Many Muslim communities now use astronomical calculations to predict the moon’s visibility, but many still prefer actual sightings to stay true to tradition.
Even in places like Lucknow, some Shia Muslims use astronomical evidence predict Eid and Ramadan dates well in advance to avoid confusion. However, this method has not yet gained popularity.
