Ramazan moon sighted in Saudi Arabia; first fast on February 18

Moon-sighting meeting was held at Hautat Sudair, with similar sessions conducted at seven other locations across the Kingdom

RIYADH: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Feb 17^th, 2026) Saudi Arabia has officially sighted the Ramazan crescent, confirming that Wednesday, February 18, 2026, will mark the first day of fasting for Ramazan 1447 AH.

The moon-sighting meeting was held at Hautat Sudair, with similar sessions conducted at seven other locations across the Kingdom.

Experts from the meteorology and astronomy departments participated in the proceedings.

According to Saudi media, modern technology was used for the first time to assist in confirming the crescent sighting. Following verification, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia announced the start of Ramazan across the country.

In contrast, the crescent was not sighted in Malaysia and Türkiye, where authorities have declared that the first day of Ramazan will fall on Thursday, February 19.

Singapore, Brunei, Australia, and Oman will also begin observing Ramazan on February 19.

In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to hold its meeting in Peshawar on Tuesday to confirm the Ramazan moon.

A spokesperson for SUPARCO stated that the first day of Ramazan in Pakistan is expected to be observed on February 19, 2026, pending official confirmation.

The announcement from Saudi Arabia marks the official start of Ramazan for millions of Muslims worldwide, while regional differences in moon sighting will determine the observance of fasting in other countries.