On the Occasion of Eid al-Fitr of 2026

Acts of worship are performed according to specific rules and conditions. One of these conditions is that they must be carried out within their designated times.

As is well known, our religion has appointed specific times for acts of worship. According to the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), "Start fasting when you see the crescent, and break your fast when you see it again" (Bukhari, Sawm 11; Muslim, Fadlu Shahr-i Ramadan 18-20), a lunar month begins when the crescent is first sighted and ends with the sighting of the next one.

As of the evening of Wednesday, March 18, 2026, astronomical data and observations from various regions of the world have determined that the crescent of Shawwal has not yet formed.

Accordingly:

1. Countries like Saudi Arabia, which began Ramadan on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, will complete Ramadan as 30 days and celebrate Eid on Friday.

2. According to organizations such as ISNA, ECFR, and Diyanet, which accept the "visibility of the crescent" as the criterion for sighting (ru'yah), Eid al-Fitr will be on Friday, March 20, 2026.

3. For countries that rely on local sightings, such as Iraq and Egypt, the observations to be made on the evening of March 19, 2026, will be decisive.

4. For India and countries further east, since detecting the crescent in these regions is difficult or impossible, the first day of Eid may be Friday or Saturday, depending on the schools of jurisprudence (madhahib) followed.

5. According to observatory data, the crescent will become visible on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Therefore, the most appropriate course of action will be to wait for the results of the observations conducted on that day.

We extend our best wishes for the occasion of Eid al-Fitr and wish for it to bring peace to all humanity.