E-Paper
Sign In
Look: Shawwal crescent spotted in UAE skies as Eid Al Fitr begins
At the time of capturing, the Moon's distance from the sun was 10.5 degrees
- PUBLISHED: Sun 30 Mar 2025, 8:37 AM
The UAE's Astronomy Centre released the first official image of the Shawwal crescent marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of Eid Al Fitr festivities in the country.
The image was captured on the morning of Sunday, March 30, in Abu Dhabi. The Moon was observed at the Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory at 7.30am local time.
Recommended For You
At the time of capturing, the Moon's distance from the sun was 10.5 degrees.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Yesterday, authorities confirmed the UAE will celebrate Eid Al Fitr on Sunday, March 30, after the spotting of the Shawwal crescent.
This means that UAE residents will get a four-day break to celebrate the Islamic festival, in the first long weekend of 2025. This aligns with the official UAE holiday calendar which had said that the Eid Al Fitr holiday would be from Shawwal 1 to Shawwal 3. This year, an official announcement added that Sunday March 30 (Ramadan 30) will also be a paid holiday.
Earlier, UAE's Fatwa Council called on Muslims in the country to observe the crescent of Shawwal on Saturday evening, the 29th of Ramadan.