Ramadan 2026 Set to Begin on February 19 for the Middle East, February 20 for South Asia

The holy month of Ramadan in 2026 is approaching, with astronomical estimates suggesting it will begin on February 19, 2026, in Middle Eastern countries and on February 20, 2026, in South Asian nations such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. The announcement was made by Islamic Information, an Islamic website, on November 8 via its Facebook page.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, confirmed that the crescent moon marking the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijri will be visible on February 17, but due to the moon setting just one minute after sunset, it will be impossible to sight with the naked eye. This means countries in the Middle East will begin fasting on February 19, 2026.

In Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait, fasting hours are expected to start at around 12 hours and gradually increase to 13 hours by the end of the month. The Moon Sighting Committee in Saudi Arabia will meet on February 18 to confirm the dates, though there has been criticism of the kingdom's reliance on its Umm al-Qura calendar, which often differs from traditional moon-sighting practices.

In Bangladesh, Ramadan is typically observed a day after the Middle East, so the first day of fasting in Bangladesh is expected to be on February 20, with Eid-ul-Fitr projected for March 21, 2026.