Ramadan Moon Sighting 2026 Live News Updates: UAE Confirms February 18 as First Day of Ramzan Fasting

Religious authorities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have officially convened their moon-sighting committees today (Chand Raat), Tuesday, February 17, to determine the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan 2026. While Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court leads the regional efforts from its special session, judicial committees in the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait are simultaneously reviewing field reports from observatories and public testimonies. Catch live news updates on Ramadan moon sighting announcements from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries here.

The outcome of tonight's sighting will decide if the first day of fasting falls on Wednesday, February 18, or Thursday, February 19, 2026. However, astronomical data and a rare annular solar eclipse occurring today have led nations like Oman and Turkey to already declare a Thursday start. Ramadan 2026 Guide: Full List of What Breaks Your Fast and What Doesn’t.

Ramadan 2026 Moon Sighting in UAE: High-Level Committee Meets at Qasr Al Hosn

In the United Arab Emirates, the official Moon-Sighting Committee, chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Sheikh Al Mahfouz bin Bayyah, began its meeting at 6:00 PM at Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi. The UAE Council for Fatwa has encouraged residents to participate in the tradition by reporting any visual sightings via their digital platform.

Despite the call for public participation, the International Astronomical Centre in Abu Dhabi has issued a technical alert. Experts note that in Abu Dhabi, the moon is expected to set roughly one minute before the sun today, making a physical sighting of the hilal (crescent) scientifically impossible. Ramadan 2026 Date in India: When Will Ramzan Begin?

Ramadan 2026 Moon Sighting in Qatar and Kuwait: Public Appeals and Judicial Sessions

• Qatar: The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs urged the public to observe the horizon this evening. The Crescent Sighting Committee is currently meeting at the Dafna Tower in Doha to deliberate on reports from across the country.
• Kuwait: The Ministry of Justice and the Al Ujairi Scientific Center are collaborating on tonight's observation. Like its neighbors, Kuwaiti astronomers have pointed out that the entire lunar disk will set almost simultaneously with the sun, leaving no window for visual confirmation.

Oman and Others Confirm Ramadan 2026 Start Date

Bucking the trend of waiting for sunset results, Oman became the first GCC country to officially announce that Ramadan will begin on Thursday, February 19. Authorities in Muscat cited the "scientifically confirmed impossibility" of a sighting on Tuesday as the basis for their early declaration.

Similarly, Singapore, Turkey, and Australia have also confirmed Thursday as the first day of Ramadan 1447 AH, based on astronomical assessments that show the moon will not be visible tonight in their respective regions.

Impact of the 2026 Annular Solar Eclipse on Ramadan Moon Sighting 2026

A unique factor in this year's determination is the annular solar eclipse taking place today, February 17. Because an eclipse occurs during the "new moon" phase (conjunction), the moon is perfectly aligned between the Earth and the Sun. This celestial event confirms that the crescent is too young and too close to the solar glare to be seen from the ground in the Middle East.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 17, 2026 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).