Alongside Oman, both Turkey and Singapore confirmed that Thursday, February 19, will mark the first day of the holy month, according to the International Astronomy Center.
Turkey determines the beginning of Hijri months using pre-calculated astronomical data, while also considering the possibility of sighting the crescent moon. The Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs stated that sighting the crescent would not be possible on Tuesday, February 17, anywhere in the Arab or Islamic world, nor in the Americas. Therefore, it set Thursday as the first day of Ramadan.
Similarly, Singapore’s Islamic Religious Council, headed by the country’s Mufti, relies on astronomical calculations to determine whether the crescent moon can be seen locally. As the moon is expected to set before the sun on February 17—making sighting impossible—Singapore also declared February 19 as the start of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, Saudi weather researcher Abdulaziz Al-Hussaini and climate expert Khaled Al-Zaaq had predicted that Ramadan would begin on Wednesday, February 18.
In many Arab and Islamic countries, the sighting of the crescent moon remains an essential requirement for officially starting the Hijri month.
