The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and the Moon-Sighting Committee of UAE have officially confirmed the sighting of the moon on the evening of Tuesday, February 17. With this, it has been decided that the holy month of Ramadan will start from Wednesday, 18 February 2026. Taraweeh prayers have been started in mosques from Tuesday night. However, the moon has not been seen in Oman and some other countries, so Ramadan will start there from Thursday.
What is the update regarding the dates of Ramzan and Eid?
According to the information given by the authorities, the first fast of Ramzan will be observed on Wednesday, February 18. According to the calculations of astronomers, this year Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to fall on Friday, March 20, 2026. This date will depend on the sighting of the moon in the last days.
Due to the solar eclipse on Tuesday, some experts had said that it might be difficult to see the moon, but witnesses in many parts of Saudi Arabia and the Tabuk Observatory confirmed seeing the moon. Only after this the official announcement was made.
What are the rules for employers and schools?
Working hours and other rules have been changed during Ramadan in UAE and Saudi Arabia to make it easier for people to worship:
UAE Private Sector: The working hours of all employees have been reduced by 2 hours daily.
Saudi Arabia: The working time for Muslim employees has been fixed at a maximum of 6 hours per day or 36 hours a week.
UAE Schools: There will be distance learning (online class) once a week in government schools and in Dubai it will be closed on Friday at 11:30 pm.
Mosque Rules (KSA): There is a ban on collecting cash donations for Iftar. There will be only 15 minutes time between Isha and Fajr Azaan and Iqama.
Umrah expenses and important information
New prices have been revealed for people going to perform Umrah during Ramadan. Umrah packages by bus from UAE start from 2,500 Dirhams (AED), which includes visa and accommodation. If one wants to go by air, the cost will start from around 8,250 dirhams.
Apart from this, to provide relief to the common people, the ministries of Gulf countries (GCC) have announced huge cuts in the prices of essential food items so that no one faces financial burden during Ramadan.