Ramadan 1447 Begins February 18, 2026, in Saudi Arabia

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia officially announced the sighting of the crescent moon, confirming that Ramadan 1447 will commence on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The first Taraweeh prayer is scheduled for tonight, following the Isha prayer.

Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will begin their first fast at dawn on February 18. However, the Ramadan observance will differ in other countries; for instance, Oman, Singapore, and Turkey have announced that they will start Ramadan on Thursday, February 19, due to the crescent moon not being sighted.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is a holy month dedicated to prayer and reflection, with fasting being one of the five pillars of Islam. The start date of Ramadan changes annually based on lunar cycles, and approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide are expected to observe fasting from sunrise to sunset during this month.