Moon Sighting (Hilal) - How Ramadan, Eid and Hajj Months Begin
Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul-Hijjah begin with the sighted crescent, not calculations alone: one trustworthy sighting starts the month for those who share the horizon.
Also searched as: chand dekhne ka tarika | moon sighting ramadan | hilal committee | ramadan chand kab niklega | eid ka chand
How to
Steps in order
- 1On the 29th evening, go out after Maghrib and look toward the western horizon.
- 2Say the moon-sighting dua when you spot the crescent.
- 3Report the sighting to your masjid or national moon committee.
- 4Follow your country’s announcement for fasting and Eid - and complete 30 days if the sky is cloudy.
How the month is fixed
The Prophet ﷺ said: fast when you see it and break fast when you see it; if clouds hide it, complete thirty days (Bukhari/Muslim). Each lunar month is 29 or 30 days - never 28 or 31. Local moon committees announce the sighting; follow your country’s scholars rather than apps or foreign announcements.
Shaban’s moon decides Ramadan, Ramadan’s decides Eid al-Fitr, and Dhul-Qadah’s decides Dhul-Hijjah and Eid al-Adha. Sighting is a communal duty (fard kifayah): some must attempt it each month so the burden lifts from all.
The sighting dua and practice
On seeing any new crescent say the moon-sighting dua (Allahumma ahillahu alayna...) - it is on our dua pages. Go out after Maghrib on the 29th, look west, and report to your masjid or committee.
Differences between countries are legitimate scholarship (horizons differ), not disunity - keep fasts with your locality and avoid quarrels over global vs local sighting.
Sources & review
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (fast on sighting; complete thirty)
Learn personal details from a qualified teacher; minor school differences exist.
Educational content — not a fatwa. See methodology and disclaimer.
Reviewed • 2026-01-01Our methodology
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can Ramadan start on calculations alone?
Mainstream scholarship requires the sighted crescent (or completing 30 days); calculations assist but do not replace sighting - follow your scholars.
Why do countries start Ramadan on different days?
Horizons differ: the crescent visible in one land may be invisible in another. Both followings are valid scholarship.
What if I am traveling between countries?
Fast and celebrate with the land you are in when each event falls; make up any shortfall so your month totals 29 or 30.
Duas
Related duas
Learn