The crescent moon for this year’s Shawwal will be born on the evening of Saturday, March 29 at 1:58 PM Doha local time, said Al Ansari
The Qatar Calendar House recently announced that March 30 is expected to be the first day of Eid al-Fitr 2025, according to astronomical calculations conducted by its specialists. Qatar Calendar House’s Executive Director Faisal Al Ansari said the crescent moon for this year’s Shawwal will be born on the evening of Saturday, March 29 at 1:58 PM Doha local time (10:58 AM GMT time).
The announcement added that the official start date of Shawwal, the 10th lunar month, remains within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs‘ Crescent Sighting Committee.
Eid al-Fitr 2025 holiday in the UAE
In the UAE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) announced that Sunday, March 30, 2025 to Tuesday, April 1, 2025, will be a paid holiday for all private sector employees across the country on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr 2025. The Ministry added that if the month of Ramadan concludes on the 30th day, the holiday will be extended to Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Earlier this week, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) in the UAE announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday for the federal government sector will be from 1st to 3rd Shawwal 1446 AH, with work resuming on 4th Shawwal. If Ramadan 2025 lasts for 30 days, the 30th of Ramadan will also be a public holiday, extending the Eid break.
Ramadan began on March 1, following the sighting of the Ramadan crescent moon on the eve of February 28.
Saudi Arabia announces four-day holiday
Saudi Arabia announced a four-day holiday for the private and non-profit sectors for Eid al-Fitr this year. According to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the holiday will be from March 30 to April 2, with work resuming on April 3.
In addition to the weekend on Friday and Saturday, private sector employees in the Kingdom will receive a 6-day holiday.
Kuwait announces three-day Eid al-Fitr 2025 holiday
In Kuwait, if the first day of Eid al-Fitr 2025 is March 30, work in the public sector will be suspended for three days and resume on April 2.
However, if Eid starts on March 31, Kuwait will suspend work from March 30 until April 5, with offices opening on April 6. This will give employees in the country a 9-day holiday when combined with the two weekends.
Read: Eid al-Fitr holiday announced for UAE private sector
Why is the official Eid al-Fitr 2025 date not confirmed yet?
Eid al-Fitr 2025 is expected to take place either on Sunday, March 30, or Monday, March 31, depending on the sighting of the moon. Unlike the widely used Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar operates on the lunar cycle. The sighting of the moon determines the end of the month-long period of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid.
Therefore, the official Eid holiday has not been announced yet in most countries. The UAE moon-sighting committee is expected to make the official announcement just before the end of Ramadan.
The UAE cabinet’s legislation states that if the month of Ramadan completes 30 days, day 30 shall be deemed an official holiday in the UAE added to the Eid al-Fitr 2025 holiday. This would mean the UAE will have a four-day holiday.
If the crescent moon is sighted on Ramadan 29, the holiday will begin on Sunday, March 30, and run until Tuesday, April 1. Taking into account the weekend, it would mean a four-day holiday for UAE residents.
However, if the moon is not sighted on the 29th, the month of Ramadan will be 30 days and the 30th day will be considered a holiday in addition to the first three days of Shawwal. In this case, Eid al-Fitr will begin on Monday, March 31, and run until Wednesday, April 2. In addition to the weekend, UAE residents would have five days off (Saturday to Wednesday).
