Saudi Arabia has confirmed the sighting of the new moon, which marks an end to the holy month of Ramadan and start of the next Islamic month — Shawwal. Eid-al-Fitr is observed on the first day of Shawwal.
Accordingly, the festival will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia and adjoining Middle East region on Sunday, an official statement noted.
"The crescent moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia. Eid-al-Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday, 30th March 2025," tweeted Haramain Info, an official social media handle of Saudi Arabia's religious authority.
BREAKING NEWS | The crescent moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia. #EidAlFitr will be celebrated on Sunday, 30th March 2025.
May Allāh accept our siyām, qiyām & a'māl & may He allow us to witness many more Ramadāns in good health. Āmīn. pic.twitter.com/JHxLWE3r61Before the official announcement, Haramain Info pointed out that experts in Saudi Arabia were divided on the expected sighting of the Shawwal crescent. While five recognised astronomical experts predicted the likely Eid al-Fitr date as Sunday, four others expected it to be observed on Monday.
Differences of opinion among astronomers regarding whether Eid al-Fitr will be on Sunday or Monday…
Opinions that say Eid is on Sunday:
Al-Ojairi Astronomical Center: Eid is on Sunday.
Abdullah Al-Misnad: Eid is on Sunday.
Expert Abdullah Al-Asimi: Sunday.
Adel Al-Saadoun:…According to moon sighting officials in Saudi Arabia, the crescent, if visible, was to be seen for only 7-8 minutes.
Reporter Abdulaziz Al-Muwai'ni:
Many crescent observers expect the Shawwal Crescent to remain visible on the horizon for 7 to 8 minutes — a brief window to confirm its presence. Its sighting depends on the clarity of the skies. pic.twitter.com/hffgo0IAukIn the United Arab Emirates as well, the sighting of the Shawwal moon has been confirmed by the country's moon sighting committee. Accordingly, Eid-al-Fitr will be observed in the UAE on Sunday.
However, earlier in the day, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia reported no sighting of the new moon. As a result, these countries will be celebrating Eid on Monday.
Notably, Ramadan began in most parts of the world on March 1, based on the sighting of the new moon. In India and Pakistan, however, the lunar cycle is generally a day behind other geographical regions. In both the countries, Ramadan, also referred to as Ramzan in the Indian subcontinent, began on March 2.
The moon sighting committees in India and Pakistan will attempt to sight the Shawwal crescent on Sunday evening. In case of the moon being sighted, Eid-al-Fitr will be observed on Monday. However, if the crescent remains unseen, then the festival will be celebrated on Tuesday.
However, with the sighting of the crescent in the Middle East today, it is unlikely that the new moon would not be visible in the Indian subcontinent region on Sunday. The likely date of Eid in India is Monday, March 31.
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