Abu Dhabi, UAE – Four countries and astronomical bodies have announced the start date of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH.
This is amid a difference in determining the first day of the holy month between Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19, 2026.
This occurred according to the astronomical standards adopted by each entity.
Türkiye and Singapore to decide on Thursday
Turkey and Singapore announced that Thursday, February 19, would be the first day of Ramadan.
They based this on astronomical calculations indicating that the crescent moon would not be visible on the evening of Tuesday, February 17.
The Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs relies on a methodology based on prior astronomical calculations.
In addition, it considers the possibility of sighting the crescent from any region that shares a portion of the night with Turkey.
This is a broad geographical criterion. It extends across several countries in the Arab and Muslim worlds and parts of the Americas.
In Singapore, the Islamic Affairs Council explained that astronomical calculations showed
that the crescent moon would not be visible locally because the moon would set before the sun on the day of observation.
Therefore, this meant that the astronomical conditions for sighting the crescent were not met.
The Sultanate of Oman joins the list of crucial countries
The Sultanate of Oman also announced that Thursday, February 19th, would mark the beginning of Ramadan.
It became one of the first Arab countries to confirm the date based on astronomical data.
Qatar announces the astronomical crescent moon on Wednesday
In contrast, the Qatar Calendar House stated that the beginning of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
However, it emphasized that the final decision regarding the start of the month remains
the responsibility of the Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs.
Other countries are still awaiting the results of the official moon sighting on
the evening of the sighting before making an official announcement.
Meanwhile, this continues amidst the ongoing debate between relying solely on astronomical calculations
or combining them with the official moon sighting to determine the beginnings of the Islamic months.
