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28 Safar 1448 AHIslamic calendar · United Kingdom
UK communities start each Hijri month by moon sighting — local UK sighting, global/Makkah-following, or astronomical calculation. When the crescent is borderline, Ramadan and Eid can differ by a day between mosques. UK Prayer Times lists expected dates; confirm with your local mosque.
Last updated
How the Hijri calendar and moon sighting work, why Ramadan and Eid dates can differ between mosques, and how the confirmed date is announced.
The basics
The Islamic (Hijri) calendar is lunar: each of its 12 months lasts 29 or 30 days and begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon (hilāl) shortly after sunset. Because a lunar year is about 354 days — roughly 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year — Islamic dates such as Ramadan move about 11 days earlier each year.
On the evening of the 29th day, observers look for the crescent. If it is seen and the testimony is accepted, the new month begins the next day. If it is not seen, the current month completes 30 days and the new month follows. This single rule — sight the crescent, or complete thirty days — governs the start of Ramadan, the two Eids, Muharram and every other Islamic month.
Why dates differ
The new crescent (hilāl) is looked for from within the UK after sunset on the 29th day of the Islamic month. If it is seen and the testimony accepted, the new month begins the next day; if not, the current month completes 30 days. Bodies such as Wifaqul Ulama coordinate UK-wide sighting reports.
Some communities and mosques begin the month based on a confirmed sighting anywhere in the Muslim world, most commonly following the announcement from Saudi Arabia (Umm al-Qura). This is why some UK mosques may start Ramadan or celebrate Eid a day earlier or later than others.
A minority follow a pre-calculated calendar based on the astronomical conjunction and crescent visibility criteria, so dates are known in advance. Most UK scholars, however, require an actual or reported sighting to confirm the month.
None of these approaches is universal in the UK, which is why two mosques in the same city can occasionally begin Ramadan — or celebrate Eid — a day apart. The safest practice is to follow the announcement of your local mosque or the sighting body it relies on.
Authority stack
UK Prayer Times does not issue moon-sighting rulings. We publish expected dates (reviewed 2026-07-17) and ask you to confirm with your mosque. Useful reference points:
UK local sighting coordination
Coordinates UK crescent-sighting reports and issues announcements used by many Deobandi and local-sighting mosques.
UK moonsighting tradition
Long-standing UK committee associated with London Unified calendar practice for many London mosques.
Final congregational decision
Some mosques follow a global (often Saudi) announcement; others wait for a UK sighting. Always follow the body your mosque names.
Expected dates
Dates approximate (Umm al-Qura); UK observance subject to moon sighting. Source notes are kept in our events table; Ramadan 1448 expected start 8 February 2027.
Full calendar: Islamic calendar · Ramadan hub
Editorial process
events.ts — pages never invent their own start dates.Finding out
Confirmed dates are normally announced on the evening of the 29th, once sighting reports have been reviewed. To stay up to date:
Remember: daily prayer times are calculated from the sun and are precise and known in advance — moon sighting only affects the dates of the months, not the five daily prayers.