Every year someone at work asks which day Eid is, and every year the honest answer is "one of these two, we'll know the night before". For 2027, those two days are Tuesday 9 March and Wednesday 10 March.
That uncertainty isn't disorganisation. It comes from a calendar that follows the moon, and from a long tradition of actually going outside and looking for it. Here's how it works.
The short version
| What | Hijri date | Expected date (2027) |
|---|---|---|
| First fast of Ramadan | 1 Ramadan 1448 | Monday 8 February |
| Last ten nights begin | Night of 21 Ramadan | Evening of Saturday 27 February |
| Crescent sought | Evening of 29 Ramadan | Monday 8 March |
| Eid al-Fitr | 1 Shawwal 1448 | Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March |
The Umm al-Qura calendar, which Saudi Arabia uses and plenty of communities follow, puts 1 Shawwal 1448 on Tuesday 9 March. Countries that need a local sighting may well end up on Wednesday the 10th. Nobody can confirm either until the evening of 8 March.
A calendar that runs on the moon
The Islamic calendar is purely lunar. A month starts when the new crescent, the hilal, appears after sunset, and it lasts 29 or 30 days. Twelve of those months add up to about 354 days, which is roughly 11 days shorter than a solar year.
That's why Eid keeps creeping earlier. It was at the end of March in 2025, around 20 March in 2026, and it'll be in early March in 2027. By 2031 it will fall in January.
The instruction for starting and ending Ramadan comes from the Prophet ﷺ himself:
"Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it. If it is hidden from you, complete thirty days."Sahih al-Bukhari 1909 and Sahih Muslim 1081 (meaning)
So on the evening of 29 Ramadan, people look west just after sunset. If the crescent is seen, the next day is Eid. If it isn't, Ramadan runs to thirty days and Eid is the day after that. It can never be more than one day's difference.
Three ways communities decide
A local sighting. Many communities want the moon to be seen in their own country or region. Pakistan's Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is a well-known example, and so are many local committees across South Asia and Africa.
Following another country. Some communities, especially Muslim minorities in Europe and elsewhere, follow the announcement from Saudi Arabia or another country. This rests on the view that a reliable sighting anywhere counts for everyone who hears about it.
Calculation. Others, including Turkey's Diyanet and several organisations in Europe and North America, use astronomical criteria worked out in advance. That way the dates are known months or years ahead.
All three have scholarly backing, and sincere, knowledgeable people follow each of them. What most scholars stress is staying together as a community: fast and celebrate with your local mosque rather than picking a date on your own.
Why 8 March 2027 is a close call
The astronomical new moon of Shawwal 1448 is expected on 8 March 2027. A crescent only a few hours old is extremely thin and sits very low in the sky, close to where the sun has just set. In some places, mostly further west, it may be visible that evening. In others it simply won't be, even through binoculars.
Weather plays its part too. Cloud, haze or dust low on the horizon can hide a crescent that would otherwise be there. Put that together with the three methods above and it's easy to see how one family celebrates on Tuesday while their cousins abroad celebrate on Wednesday.
Planning when you don't know the date
- Ask your mosque which method it follows. Many say so at the start of Ramadan, and some publish their expected Eid date in advance.
- If you need time off work or school, ask for both days. Most employers are fine with it once they understand why.
- Pay Zakat al-Fitr a day or two early so an early announcement doesn't catch you out.
- Try to have food and gifts sorted by the 27th or 28th. Then the last nights can be for worship rather than shopping.
The countdown on our homepage lets you switch between 9 and 10 March, so you can count down to whichever date your community expects.
Dates here are estimates based on published calendars and astronomical data. Please follow the announcement made by your local religious authority.