Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The UAE Fatwa Council announced that the committee tasked with sighting the crescent moon of Ramadan 1447 AH will convene on Tuesday evening, February 17, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The meeting will take place at the historic Qasr Al Hosn Palace in Abu Dhabi.
The committee will be chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Sheikh Mahfouz bin Bayyah, Chairman of the Council. His Excellency Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Derei, Vice Chairman of the Council, will also be in attendance. This meeting falls within the Council’s mandate to observe the crescent moon and announce its sighting.
Institutional methodology for sighting the new moon
The Council explained that the committee’s work will begin after Maghrib prayer. During this meeting, reports from field monitoring teams and the results of investigations received from accredited observatories across the country will be reviewed. Additionally, testimonies received from various regions of the country will be examined. This will be done in accordance with Sharia principles and established procedures.
The Council emphasized its commitment to unifying the official reference for determining the start of lunar months. This aims to enhance public confidence in the investigation procedures and the announcement of results. Moreover, it establishes a well-defined institutional methodology in this matter.
Call for community participation
The Council had called upon members of the community to observe the crescent moon on Tuesday evening
and to participate in registering their testimonies via the designated electronic link announced through official channels.
The Council emphasized the importance of reviving the tradition of moon sighting
and promoting community participation in this occasion.
The Council indicated that the announcement of the sighting of the crescent moon for the blessed month of Ramadan
will be made immediately upon the committee’s conclusion of its deliberations.
This will be done through the official channels approved in the United Arab Emirates. The Council prayed that God would grant everyone the opportunity to experience the holy month. It also prayed that it would be a month of goodness and blessings for the nation, its leadership, its people, and the entire Muslim Ummah.
