Eid Al-Fitr 2026: What experts say about the date of Eid in Morocco

According to the estimates of the astronomer Ibrahim Akhyam, a member of the international ICOP project, the visibility of the Shawwal crescent is considered very unlikely in the evening of Thursday, March 19. This day corresponds to the 29th day of the sacred month for the Kingdom, the traditional date of observation.

The lunar conjunction will occur on March 19 at 01:25 GMT, but several scientific indicators are considered insufficient for a naked-eye detection. The elongation, or angular distance between the Moon and the Sun, will only reach nine degrees, while a minimum of twelve degrees is generally required for reliable observation.

"Several parameters do not meet the scientific conditions usually required to confirm naked-eye visibility in Morocco that evening," the specialist explains. The Moon will remain visible for only 42 minutes after sunset, a duration less than the 48 minutes needed by observers.

The age of the crescent at the time of sunset in Dakhla, estimated at around 17 hours and 50 minutes, also complicates visual detection. This technical scenario would lead the month of Ramadan to its thirty-day end, thus postponing the religious holiday to the following Saturday.