The Moroccan Initiative for Science and Thought Association announced in its astronomical report for the month of Shawwal 1447 AH / 2026 CE that Eid al-Fitr in Morocco will be on Saturday, March 21, 2026, based on precise calculations of the crescent moon’s position and the sighting criteria adopted in Morocco.
The report clarified that the central conjunction of the crescent will occur on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 01:23 UTC, and that the legal sighting on the evening of Friday, March 20 (29 Ramadan) is completely impossible according to all ten criteria of the Moroccan lunar calendar, due to the short visibility of the crescent (approximately 39-40 minutes above the horizon), the brief age of the crescent (about 17 hours and 48 minutes), and the low elongation and illumination (0.75%).
The association confirmed that the month of Ramadan 1447 AH will complete 30 astronomical days, making Saturday, March 21, the first day of Shawwal and the first day of Eid in Morocco.
It is noted that Morocco follows a dual approach in determining lunar months: combining astronomical calculations to assess the possibility of sighting, and the official reliance on visual sighting of the crescent by committees from the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs on the 29th of Ramadan.
In contrast, most international calendars and astronomical calculations in other countries (such as Egypt and many Arab nations) expect Friday, March 20, 2026, to be the first day of Eid, with the possibility of it being delayed to Saturday in some countries that require local sighting or stricter criteria.
>Content generated from the Arabic version of Tanja7.com
