With Muslims around the world awaiting the beginning of Ramadan, the UAE’s International Astronomy Center (IAC) announced on Thursday the sighting of the crescent Moon, marking the beginning of the next Islamic month, Shaaban, on January 31. Shaaban is the month that precedes the holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar.
The crescent moon of Shaaban 1446 AH was photographed today at 9.30 AM from the Al Khatem Astronomical Observatory in Abu Dhabi. The observation was made automatically by connecting online with the astronomical observatory. The moon’s distance from the sun was 10.5 degrees.
In a post on social media platform X, IAC said the first of Shaaban falls on January 31 in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Sultanate of Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria. It is also expected in Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco and Mauritania.
Read: Ramadan 2025: UAE dates and traditions explained
When will Ramadan 2025 start?
In preparation for the holy month of Ramadan, Islamic countries pay great attention to observing the crescent moon of Shaaban.
January 29, 2025 was the twenty-ninth day of Rajab 1446 AH in many countries of the Islamic world. On this day, it was impossible to see the crescent moon of Shaaban from all regions of the Islamic world due to the moon setting before or with sunset. Therefore, these countries will complete the month of Rajab on the 30th, and January 31 will mark the first day of Shaaban, said the IAC in its latest statement.
Islamic months typically last for 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent is sighted. On the 29th day of Shaaban, official moon-sighting committees will determine when Ramadan will officially start. If sighted on this day, the holy month begins on the next day.
Ramadan 2025 is expected to begin on Saturday, March 1. However, the exact start date will be confirmed by the UAE’s moon-sighting committee. If Ramadan does indeed start on March 1, it will end on March 29 or 30. The exact timing depends on the phases the moon goes through every lunar month.
When the waning crescent is spotted, it will signify the final night of Ramadan and the start of Eid Al Fitr 2025.
