Eid Moon Sighting: Eid-ul-Fitr 2025 in Saudi Arabia: Moon sighting, Date & Public holidays on EID | – The Times of India
Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the biggest religious and personal celebrations for Muslims around the world. Eid marks the end of the month of Ramadan, and from the fasting stage, people move to feasts, togetherness, catching up with friends and family, and of course, food walks and tours.
Just like in India, in Saudi Arabia too the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr is an event of great importance. Offices give holidays for days so that families can come together, and cousins and friends who live far from each other, unite for the festival.
Moon sighting in Saudi Arabia
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. And so the months begin with the sighting of the new moon, and so the holidays and festivals do not have an exact date, but vary over a day or two, depending on when the moon will be seen.
In 2025, Eid in Saudi Arabia will depend on the moon sighting, and so it will either be celebrated on March 30, if the moon sighting is on March 29, or it will be on March 31, if the crescent moon is seen on March 30.
The moon sighting for Eid-ul-Fitr is of utmost importance in Saudi Arabia, and it is the basis for declaring the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid-ul-Fitr takes place on the first day of Shawwal, immediately after the month of Ramadan.
See more: Moon sighting for Eid-ul-Fitr 2025: When to watch in India, UAE, and Saudi Arabia
The moon sighting
In fact, every year, the date of Eid changes, and there is confusion as to the proper dates and celebration time till the moon sighting takes place.
And in practice, the moon sighting is done in various regions of the country, especially in the deserts, where the sky is less obstructed by city lights and gives a clearer view of the moon at the correct day and time. And then the official announcement of Eid-ul-Fitr is made through official government channels, so the public is notified when to begin the celebrations.
Date of Eid-ul-Fitr 2025 in Saudi Arabia
As of now, most reports indicate Eid-Ul-Fitr being celebrated on March 30 in Saudi Arabia, and with the rest of the countries following a day after on March 31 or April 1.
Based on many astronomical calculations and the expected moon sighting, the likely date for Eid in Saudi Arabia is Sunday, March 30, and if the moon is sighted a day later, it will shift for the other countries as well.
Up until now, the date remains to be March 30-March 31 in Saudi Arabia and March 31-April 1 in India.
Public holidays and festivities during Eid-ul-Fitr
Eid-ul-Fitr is a public holiday in Saudi Arabia, and the celebrations are marked by both religious and cultural events. The first day of Eid is a public holiday, during which businesses, schools, and government offices are closed. This allows families who live far away from each other, and people living together in communities to celebrate. In fact, in most Saudi offices, the public holiday lasts for three to four days, giving people time to spend with families together, away from the stress and tensions of work or school or jobs.
The celebrations begin with the Eid prayer, held in the morning at mosques or in open fields, and people gather at home or in mosques to mark the prayer. After the prayer, people visit family and friends, exchange gifts, and enjoy elaborate meals. In Saudi Arabia, traditional foods such as Kabsa, Samboosa, and Dates are eaten to mark Eid.
And since time immemorial, Eid celebrations haven’t just been about feasts and lavishness, but also the Zakat al-Fitr, a form of charity given to the less fortunate before the Eid prayer. Just as Ramadan ends, people donate to charitable causes and to the needy families so their Eid can be just as happy as others.
