Eid Moon Sighting 2025 In Saudi Arabia: When Will Shawwal Crescent Be Sighted? Check Likely Eid-al-Fitr Date

Muslims around the world are awaiting the confirmation of the date for Eid al-Fitr as the holy month of Ramadan is nearing its end. The date for the Eid celebration will depend on the sighting of the new moon. Whether Ramadan will be of 29 days or 30 days will depend on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon.

Since Islam follows a lunar calendar, the conclusion of a month in the religious calendar depends on the sighting of the new moon. Eid al-Fitr, one of the two biggest festivals of Muslims, is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal — the Islamic month following Ramadan.

Also, the lunar cycle varies by a day in the Indian subcontinent and other parts of the world, including Saudi Arabia, which houses the holiest sites of Islam.

Therefore, the 29th Ramadan will be observed in Saudi Arabia and most other parts of the world on Saturday. At the time of sunset, the moon sighting committees in these countries will aim to look for the Shawwal crescent.

If the moon is sighted, then Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed in those parts of the world on Sunday. If the crescent remains unseen, then Eid will be observed on Monday.

Meanwhile, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, along with a few other nations, the 29th of Ramadan will be observed on Sunday. Accordingly, the attempts to sight the new moon will made on that day. If the crescent is sighted, then Eid will be observed on Monday. In case of no moon sighting, then the festival will be celebrated in the Indian subcontinent on Tuesday.

Muslims around the world fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, also referred to as Ramzan in the Indian subcontinent. The last 10 days of the holy month are considered very significant in Islam, with the final Friday being observed as Jumu'at-ul-Wida.

When Will the Shawwal Crescent Be Sighted in Saudi Arabia?

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia began on March 1 following the sighting of the crescent moon. Eid-ul-Fitr is expected to be celebrated on March 30 or March 31, depending on the crescent moon sighting, which marks the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

According to Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya News, Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has called on Muslims across the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon on Saturday evening.

Anyone who sights the crescent moon has been asked to report it to the nearest court. They will be asked to register their testimony, which will contribute to confirming the date of Eid 2025.

If the moon is sighted on Saturday, Eid will be declared on Sunday, March 30. Otherwise, March 31 will be accepted as the official date for Eid 2025.

Eid not only marks the end of Ramadan but also the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar.

Unlike other calendars, the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle. Hence, events in the Islamic calendar keep shifting by about 11 days every year. Last year, Eid was celebrated on April 11.

The Islamic calendar considers the Maghrib prayer (after sunset) as the beginning of the day. This is different from the Gregorian calendar, where the day starts at midnight. The Maghrib prayer marks the transition into a new day. Hence, once the moon is sighted, Eid celebrations begin.

Eid-ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. As lunar months are either 29 or 30 days long, the exact date of Eid varies each year, depending on moon sightings by religious authorities.