Rabat – The Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia announced that the sighting of the crescent moon for Ramadan 2026 will take place on Tuesday.
A statement from the court called on all the country’s Muslims to attempt to sight the Ramadan crescent tomorrow.
The court said that anyone who sees the crescent, whether with the naked eye or binoculars, should notify the nearest court to register their testimony.
Astronomy calculations indicate that the first day of Ramadan 2026 will fall on Thursday, February 19, in most countries, including Saudi Arabia.
Astronomers believe the crescent moon will not be visible on Tuesday night.
Morocco is also expected to sight the crescent moon for Ramadan on Tuesday. Local astronomers believe the moon will also be invisible and therefore the first day of Ramadan will be on Thursday.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims worldwide celebrate the month with fasting from dawn to sunset, abstaining from eating and drinking during fasting hours, which differ from one country to another depending on the time of sunset.
In Morocco, people enjoy tables full of diverse dishes from sweet to savory. In addition to dates and milk or water, Moroccans also often break their fast with harira, msmen, and briouat.
The majority head to mosques for sunset prayers before coming back home to enjoy the rest of the feast.
After iftar, isha prayers are followed with extra prayers called Taraweeh, sunnah night prayers performed by Muslims during the month of Ramadan.
The prayers are performed in sets of multiple rakats, totalling eight or more, with Quran recitations.
Many Muslims take it as customary to complete reading the Quran during Ramadan.
