Eid Al-Fitr to Begin Friday in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain

Eid Al-Fitr to Begin Friday in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain

Eid Al-Fitr will be officially celebrated on Friday, March 20, 2026, in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, following the confirmed inability to sight the crescent moon marking the start of Shawwal.

After 30 days of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, moon-sighting committees across the Gulf announced on Wednesday evening that the crescent was not observed, making Thursday the final day of Ramadan and Friday the first day of Eid.

The unified announcement reflects a consistent religious methodology and coordination among Gulf countries in determining the start of Islamic months.

In Saudi Arabia, the Royal Court confirmed that the Supreme Court had reviewed reports from moon-sighting committees and officially declared Friday as the first day of Eid Al-Fitr.

In the UAE, the Moon-Sighting Committee convened in Abu Dhabi under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, adopting a structured and institutional approach to confirming the start of the new lunar month.

Similar announcements were issued by the official moon-sighting committees in Qatar and Bahrain, reinforcing a unified position across the Gulf region regarding the timing of Eid celebrations.