Page 89 - UAE FATWA PR REPORT - MARCH 2025 (ENGLISH)

4/3/25, 4:34 PM Eid al-Fitr 2025 in UAE: Crescent moon marking Ramadan’s final days spotted

Eid al-Fitr is a special occasion for Muslims and is a time for celebration with family and loved
ones. It marks the end of the month of Ramadan, a period of month-long fasting for Muslims around
the world, and the start of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar. Notably, Eid al-Fitr is
among the two main holidays in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha.

UAE deploys AI-powered drones to sight the Shawwal crescent

This year, the UAE Council for Fatwa is using AI-powered drones to sight the Shawwal crescent
moon for the year 1446 AH, underscoring the country’s leadership in adopting innovative
technological solutions for monitoring and observation. The council is the first in the world to utilise
this advanced technology for moon sighting, having employed it earlier this year to observe the
Ramadan crescent.

In a significant technological advancement, several drones were deployed from Al-Khatim
Astronomical Observatory, which are equipped with high-precision lenses that rose more than 300
metres above ground, directed toward the location of the moon based on precise astronomical
calculations. This approach, which the council is deploying for the second consecutive time, aims to
overcome challenges that may obstruct visual sighting and ensure the atmospheric clarity needed for
accurate observation.

Additionally, innovative AI-powered technologies will be used to analyse images, process data and
determine the location of the crescent’s birth and the possibility of its visibility with precision.

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