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Saudi Arabia announces first day of Eid Al Fitr after Shawwal crescent not sighted
The public holiday in the Kingdom is set to begin on Wednesday, March 18, which corresponds to 29th of Ramadan, 1447 AH, and will last four days for all employees
- PUBLISHED: Wed 18 Mar 2026, 7:04 PM
Saudi Arabia has announced that Eid Al Fitr 2026 will fall on Friday, March 20, after the Shawwal crescent was not spotted today.
Earlier, Muslims across the Kingdom were urged to spot the Shawwal crescent that would mark the end of Ramadan. Authorities in Saudi Arabia had already announced public holidays for private and government sector employees across the Kingdom.
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The public holiday in the Kingdom is set to begin on Wednesday, March 18, which corresponds to 29th of Ramadan, 1447 AH, and will last four days for all employees.
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Public holiday in UAE
Meanwhile, the UAE has already announced the Eid Al Fitr public holiday for employees in the federal and private sectors. For federal government entities, the Eid Al Fitr holiday will begin on Thursday, March 19, 2026, and continue until Sunday, March 22, 2026. Official working hours will resume on Monday, March 23, 2026.
For the private sector employees, the holiday will run from Thursday, March 19, 2026, until Saturday, March 21, 2026. Employees who normally work on Sundays will be required to return to work on Sunday, March 22.
The authorities clarified that if the holy month of Ramadan lasts 30 days, the private sector holiday will be extended to Sunday, March 22, 2026. The announcement applies across the UAE and follows established guidelines for public and private sector holiday schedules.
