Ramadan 2026 is expected to start on Wednesday 18 February or Thursday 19 February (depending on country and method), and final confirmation depends on the official moon‑sighting announcements in each region. As of now, you should check your local mosque or national Islamic body for today’s exact ruling where you live.

Quick Scoop: Was the moon sighted for Ramadan?

Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the start of Ramadan 1447 AH depends on the hilal (new crescent) being seen on the 29th of Sha’ban in each location or on accepted global calculations. For 2026:

  • In Mecca and much of the Middle East, astronomers predicted that an actual naked‑eye sighting on the first possible evening is very unlikely, which makes Thursday 19 February 2026 the more probable first fasting day there.
  • Many organizations that use calculations (e.g., in North America and parts of Europe) have already projected the first day of fasting as Wednesday 18 February 2026, pending confirmation.
  • Media and Islamic calendars list expectations, but they all stress that the real start is only confirmed once religious authorities announce that the moon has actually been sighted (or that Sha’ban has been completed as 30 days).

In practice, this means some communities will begin fasting on 18 February and others on 19 February, both following valid scholarly methods.

For the most accurate answer to “was the moon sighted for Ramadan today where I am?”, always follow your local mosque, national fatwa council, or trusted moon‑sighting committee, because they give time‑sensitive rulings that I cannot see in real time.

How moon sighting works (in brief)

  • On the 29th of Sha’ban, observers look for the crescent after sunset.
  • If it is seen, the next day is the first of Ramadan; if not, Sha’ban is completed as 30 days and Ramadan starts the day after.
  • Some countries rely purely on visual sightings, others accept global sightings, and others use astronomical calculations to fix the calendar in advance.

This is why you may see slightly different start dates between regions and between “local sighting” and “calculation” communities.

Forum / trending angle

Online, you will usually find three main viewpoints whenever “was the moon sighted for Ramadan” starts trending:

  1. Those who insist on classic local visual sighting only, following traditional fiqh rulings.
  2. Those who accept global sighting or centralized announcements (e.g., following Saudi Arabia) to keep unity across countries.
  3. Those who prefer astronomical calculations for predictability and nationwide consistency in large Muslim minority countries.

Forum discussions often get heated, but most scholars advise regular Muslims to stick with a trusted local authority and avoid turning the start date into a source of division.

What you should do now

  • Check announcements from:
    • Your local mosque or Islamic center
    • The national or regional moon‑sighting committee
    • Any established council your community usually follows (e.g., Fiqh councils, national mufti, etc.)
  • Start fasting with your local community once they declare the first of Ramadan. Unity in your immediate community is more important than small differences of opinion about sighting methods.

TL;DR: For 2026, Ramadan is expected to begin around 18–19 February globally, but whether the moon has been sighted for your Ramadan start depends on today’s ruling from your local scholars and authorities.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.