Oman Announces February 19, 2026 as First Day of Ramadan

The Main Committee for Moon Sighting of the Hijri Months in the Sultanate of Oman has officially announced that Thursday, February 19, 2026, will mark the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH.

With this declaration, Oman becomes the first Islamic country to formally announce the start date of Ramadan this year, based on approved astronomical data and verified Sharia moon sighting procedures.

In its official statement, the committee confirmed that Wednesday, February 18, 2026, will complete the month of Sha’ban. Specialists had determined that sighting the Ramadan crescent on the evening of Tuesday, the 29th of Sha’ban, would be impossible, as the moon was expected to set before or at sunset across all governorates of the Sultanate, preventing observation through both traditional and astronomical methods.

The committee emphasized that its decision was based on recognized scientific and astronomical standards, alongside established Sharia-compliant sighting mechanisms. It noted that variations in announcing the start of Ramadan among Islamic countries are due to differences in moon sighting methods and astronomical calculation criteria adopted by each nation.

Other Arab and Islamic countries are expected to announce the results of their crescent sighting efforts in the coming days, ahead of officially determining the beginning of the holy month in accordance with their respective religious guidelines.