Shawwal crescent sighting, Eid al-Fitr dates for 2025

Countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Turkey, New Zealand, Iraq, Yemen, Australia, Qatar, and the UAE will sight the crescent of Shawwal 1446 AH on the 29th of Ramadan/March this year.

Meanwhile, other countries such as Pakistan, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei will sight the crescent of Shawwal 1446 AH on the 30th of Ramadan/March this year.

The dates for sighting the crescent vary between countries according to astronomical calculations and the fatwa council in each country, as well as the visibility of the crescent.

Sighting the crescent of the month of Shawwal is an important ritual Islamic countries perform to determine the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, which follows the month of Ramadan.

The sighting of the new moon determines the beginning of the lunar month.

The dates for sighting the crescent differ from country to country based on astronomical and religious criteria, as the astronomical calculations determining the visibility of the crescent in specific locations vary.

Many Islamic countries, including Jordan, have returned to using astronomical calculations as a supporting tool to determine the beginning of the month of Shawwal; however, the visual sighting of the crescent in the sky remains the decisive factor, based on the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said, "Fast when you see it, and break your fast when you see it. If it is obscured from you, then complete thirty days."

This may lead to differences in the dates of Eid al-Fitr in some countries, as some countries sight the crescent on the 29th day of Ramadan, while others do so on the 30th day.