The start of Eid Al Fitr, the Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan, will be announced when the UAE’s official Moon-sighting committee meets to determine whether the new crescent moon is visible.
The decision will determine if Eid begins on Sunday or Monday, depending on the lunar observations after sunset on the 29th day of Ramadan, which this year is Saturday.
Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic Hijri calendar is based on the Moon. Each Hijri month begins only after the sighting of the new crescent moon.
“The crescent moon that signals the start of a new month must be visible after sunset on the 29th day of the current month,” Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, told The National. “If not seen, the month completes 30 days as per Islamic tradition.”
While the astronomical birth of the new moon can be calculated precisely, religious observance requires visual confirmation from trained observers stationed at selected locations in the country. These locations are chosen for their optimal atmospheric conditions, including minimal cloud cover, low humidity and reduced light pollution.
Why Eid dates vary
The Hijri calendar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. This difference means Islamic months shift earlier each year in relation to the Gregorian calendar. For example, Ramadan 1445 began on March 11 last year, while this year Ramadan 1446 started on March 1.
Over a cycle of about 33 lunar years, Ramadan will complete a full seasonal rotation. “The observance of Islamic rituals such as fasting during Ramadan, Hajj and Eid celebrations relies on this dynamic calendar, which moves through the seasons,” Mr Al Jarwan said. “Other faiths, including Judaism and Christianity, also depend on lunar calendars for major observances such as Passover and Easter.”
While observation remains the main way to confirm lunar months, the UAE uses technology to support the process. Drones were used during the Moon-sighting process for Ramadan this year, described by Mr Al Jarwan as a “milestone in the field of astronomical observation”.
For a Moon sighting to be considered scientifically feasible, certain conditions must be met. The Moon must be:
- Born before sunset.
- Separated from the Sun by at least six degrees.
- At least 12 hours old.
- Visible above the horizon for at least 20 minutes after sunset.
No Moon has ever been sighted without meeting these thresholds.
What is the Moon-sighting committee?
The UAE's Moon-sighting committee is formed by the UAE Council for Fatwa and is typically made up of senior government figures. Last year, it was chaired by Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice.
Every Muslim country, city or community has someone to watch the Moon. While the specifics of Moon-sighting each month vary across the region, most Gulf nations – including the UAE – form a moon-sighting committee for major Islamic dates such as Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
Regional variation
Due to the differences in geographic and atmospheric conditions, the crescent may be visible in some countries and not in others on the same evening. “This is why Eid and other Islamic events may fall on different days in different regions, a concept known among Islamic scholars as Ikhtilaf Al Matali, or differing horizons,” Mr Al Jarwan said.
For instance, visibility may be impossible in parts of South-East Asia, marginal in the Arabian Peninsula and more likely in the Maghreb region due to the Moon’s greater altitude.
“Whether to unify the Hijri calendar or allow regional variation is ultimately a matter of religious jurisprudence,” Mr Al Jarwan said. “Astronomers advise and support, but the final decision rests with Islamic legal authorities.”
What is Eid Al Fitr?
Eid Al Fitr marks one of two holy feasts celebrated by Muslims worldwide. The first day of the festival coincides with the first day of the 10th Islamic calendar month, known as Shawwal.
Celebrations begin with Eid prayers, shortly after the dawn fajr prayer, and last for three days. The Eid prayer is followed by a sermon, and a major part of the ritual is greeting others who have gathered to pray and wishing them an “Eid Mubarak”. The prayers are a chance to exchange Eid greetings and meet neighbours, family and friends.
Dubai's mosques illuminated for Ramadan 2025 – in pictures
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
