Saudi Arabia has officially announced that the first day of Eid al-Fitr in 2026 will be Friday, March 20. This decision was made as the crescent moon of Shawwal was not sighted on Wednesday, March 18, according to a report by Gulf News.
The country’s moon-sighting committee convened in the evening to verify the moon sighting and confirmed that the crescent was not visible today. Consequently, the month of Ramadan will conclude after a full 30 days of fasting, and Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated the following day.
Hours earlier, various astronomical observation centers in the country had reported that moon sighting might be challenging today due to cloudy weather. Observation centers in Tumair, Sudair, and Al-Harik stated that the cloudy sky reduced the likelihood of sighting the moon. Specifically, in Tumair and Sudair, where the sky was completely overcast, identifying the moon with the naked eye could be difficult. Similar conditions were observed in Al-Harik. Meanwhile, the Dammam observation center, usually the first place to spot the moon, also faced obstructions to observation due to a cloudy sky.
This decision aligns with the Islamic Sharia tradition, which mandates the sighting of the moon to mark the beginning of a new month.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that Eid holidays for employees in the private and non-profit sectors would begin on the evening of Wednesday, March 18, and extend for four days. This holiday schedule was determined in accordance with the provisions of Saudi labor law.
Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Al-Ruzaiqi stated that the purpose of this advance announcement was to provide employees and organizations with a clear understanding of the holiday schedule, ensuring that employees could enjoy their Eid holidays while maintaining continuity in essential service sectors.
