Officially: The Sultanate of Oman is the first Arab country to set the date for the first day of Ramadan 2026.

Arab Weather - The main committee for sighting the crescent moons of the Islamic months in the Sultanate of Oman announced that Thursday, February 19, 2026, will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH.

The committee confirmed in an official statement that the sighting of the Ramadan crescent on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, was impossible throughout the Sultanate, as the moon set before the sun, making the beginning of the Hijri month consistent with Sharia and astronomical sciences.

The International Astronomy Center stated via its account on the “X” platform that sighting the crescent moon is a prerequisite for the start of the Islamic month, and that Wednesday, February 18, will be the completion of the month of Sha’ban, and Thursday, February 19, will be the first day of Ramadan.

The center noted that this announcement reflects the Sultanate of Oman’s approach to reconciling the legitimate sighting of the crescent moon with astronomical scientific accuracy, stressing that the decision is consistent with most of the Arabian Peninsula.