The International Astronomy Centre has announced that Eid Al Fitr is most likely to be celebrated on Monday, March 31, 2025, due to the expected absence of the Shawwal crescent moon on Saturday, March 29.
According to a Gulf News report, citing the astronomers, the moon will set before the sun and the conjunction will occur only after sunset on March 29, making it impossible to sight the crescent — even with telescopes or advanced equipment — anywhere in the Arab and Islamic world.
As a result, countries that rely on actual moon sightings are expected to complete a full 30 days of fasting for Ramadan, placing Eid on March 31. However, some regions in the western Islamic world, where the conjunction occurs before sunset and the moon sets after, may opt to declare Eid on Sunday, March 30, based on their traditional moon-sighting criteria.
Adding to the evidence, a partial solar eclipse will be visible around noon on March 29 in parts of the western Arab world, including Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia — an event that further proves the crescent will not be visible.
Authorities are urging the public to be cautious of false crescent sighting claims, as these would contradict established astronomical facts.
