The UAE’s Astronomy Centre has calculated likely dates for the country’s major Islamic holidays in 2027, corresponding to 1448 AH, giving residents an early window to plan around Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
The projections are based on astronomical calculations. Official dates will only be confirmed once the UAE’s moon-sighting committee observes the relevant crescent, meaning some dates carry a one-day margin either way.
Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr: February and March 2027
Ramadan is expected to begin on 8 February 2027. The Astronomy Centre said the Shaban crescent will be impossible to sight from the UAE because the moon sets before the sun or the conjunction occurs after sunset, making Shaban a full 30-day month.
That is ten days earlier than 2026, when Ramadan began on 18 February. The holy month shifts by 10 to 12 days each year as the Hijri calendar follows the lunar cycle.
The last ten nights of Ramadan, which hold particular significance for observant Muslims, are estimated to begin around 28 February 2027 based on the projected start date.
The Shawwal crescent, which marks the end of Ramadan, is expected to be sighted on the evening of either Monday 8 March or Tuesday 9 March 2027, the Astronomy Centre said. If sighted on 8 March (Ramadan 29), Eid Al Fitr begins on 9 March. If Ramadan runs its full 30 days, Eid Al Fitr falls on 10 March 2027.
Eid Al Fitr 2026 fell on 20 March, according to the Gulf News record of that year’s holiday calendar. The 2027 dates mark a further shift of about ten days earlier in the Gregorian year.
Eid Al Adha, Day of Arafah and the new Islamic year
Eid Al Adha, which falls on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, is projected for either Sunday 16 May or Monday 17 May 2027. The Astronomy Centre said the Dhul Hijjah crescent is likely to be sighted on Thursday 6 May or Friday 7 May, placing the start of the month on 7 or 8 May respectively.
The Day of Arafah, the ninth of Dhul Hijjah and considered the most sacred day in Islam, will accordingly fall on 15 or 16 May 2027. Most Muslims who are not performing Hajj observe a fast on this day. Hajj itself runs between the 8th and 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah, estimated around 14 May under the projected calendar, according to a Hijri calendar maintained by Islamic Relief Australia.
Eid Al Adha marks the commemoration of the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, with cattle slaughtered and distributed among those in need. The nine days leading up to the festival are a period of heightened worship.
The International Astronomical Center, which is based in the UAE and operates an astronomical cameras network across the country, produces these projections to help residents and institutions prepare in advance. Final dates remain subject to the moon-sighting committee, which draws on reports from Sharia courts nationwide, as described by the Global Government Forum.
The Hijri year 1448 AH, within which these holidays fall, runs from June 2026 to early June 2027, according to TrueCalendar. The new Islamic year 1449 AH is expected to begin between 5 and 7 June 2027, depending on the length of Dhul Hijjah, with the Day of Ashura following on 10 Muharram 1449 AH shortly thereafter.
The official confirmation of each date will come from the moon-sighting committee’s announcement in the days before each occasion.
