Ramadan crescent search begins: Saudi Arabia scans skies today, Pakistan to follow tomorrow

WEB DESK: Saudi Arabia will begin searching for the crescent moon that signals the start of Ramadan on Tuesday (today) evening, while Pakistan’s official moon-sighting body is scheduled to meet a day later to determine the beginning of the holy month.

The first day of fasting in Mecca will fall on either Wednesday, February 18, or Thursday, February 19, depending on whether the new moon is sighted after sunset. The Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, and the start of Ramadan is traditionally confirmed by the visible sighting of the crescent.

Astronomers note that several factors affect visibility, including the moon’s distance from the sun (elongation), its height above the horizon (altitude), and how long it remains visible after sunset (lag time). For a clear naked-eye sighting, the crescent typically needs sufficient separation from the sun and at least 45 minutes between sunset and moonset.

According to calculations by Crescent Moon Watch, operated by the UK’s Nautical Almanac Office, the new moon will be born on February 17 at 3:01 PM Mecca time. However, that evening the moon will set just three minutes after sunset in Mecca and will be only a few hours old, making a sighting highly unlikely. This suggests that Ramadan will most probably begin on February 19 in most countries.

Elsewhere, different regions are following their own procedures. In North America, the Fiqh Council of North America and the Islamic Society of North America have announced February 18 as the first day of Ramadan based on astronomical calculations. In Europe, the European Council for Fatwa and Research has declared February 19 as the likely start date, a position also adopted by Turkiye.

Across much of Asia, Africa and Oceania, authorities are also expected to confirm February 19 as the first fasting day, citing low chances of visibility on Tuesday evening.

In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene on Wednesday, February 18 (29 Shaban 1447 AH), at 4:00 PM at the Department of Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs, Central Eidgah on Charsadda Road in Peshawar. The committee will review testimonies from across the country before announcing the official start of Ramadan.

Usually, Pakistan’s lunar calendar falls one day behind that of Saudi Arabia, but this year it seems both countries will begin Ramadan on Thursday.