Many Muslims, including in Holy Land, start marking month of Ramadan after moon sighting

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began Tuesday night for much of the Arab world after official moon sighting committees in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar announced that they saw the new crescent moon, with fasting to begin Wednesday morning.

“Wednesday is the first day of the blessed month of #Ramadan,” the official Saudi Press Agency posted on X Tuesday.

Palestinian media reported that the grand mufti of Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza likewise announced that the new moon was sighted.

In Oman, however, the moon was not seen, so Ramadan will begin on Wednesday night there.

Meanwhile, the office of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who belongs to the Shia branch of Islam, said on Tuesday: “It is expected — as reflected in the calendar — that Thursday will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.”

The IDF published a social media post on Tuesday, wishing those who celebrate a peaceful Ramadan.

The IDF wishes a peaceful Ramadan Kareem to all who celebrate! pic.twitter.com/A5gFp7VwuB

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 17, 2026

The holy month has frequently been marked by heightened tensions in Israel.

Sunni Islam is the majority religion in Saudi Arabia, while Shiite Islam is the majority faith in Iran.

Observing the Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours. Observant Muslims are also encouraged to donate to the poor.

Despite advances in astronomy and the ability to determine the start of Islamic months many years in advance, religious authorities continue to rely on direct visual sighting as the official method for confirming the presence of the crescent moon.

This practice has been followed since the time of the Prophet Mohammed, who linked the beginning of fasting to the sighting of the crescent.

Ahead of the announcement, an astronomical observatory more than 100 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, in the heart of the desert and far from any light pollution, hosted several observers who scanned the sky.

They were just one of several teams of observers scattered across Saudi Arabia on Tuesday who watched for the appearance of the new crescent moon, signalling the beginning of Ramadan.

Following evening prayers, the teams then file their report to the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia, which has the authority to announce the start of the holy month.

In Iran, meanwhile, the supreme leader’s office announced moon-sighting groups will spread across that country on Wednesday evening to “attempt to observe the crescent marking the start of the holy month of Ramadan.”

“Experts predict that the crescent should be easily visible,” it added.