The UAE will become the first country in the world to utilise drones for sighting the Ramadan crescent moon, the UAE Council for Fatwa announced on Friday. These drones will be equipped with artificial intelligence technology to enhance the accuracy of the sighting process.
The council has urged all Muslims to observe the crescent moon on the evening of Friday (28 February), which corresponds to 29 Shaban in the Umm Al Qura calendar—an Islamic lunar calendar developed to determine dates and months, reports the Khaleej Times.
According to the council, the use of drones will be considered an extension of "direct vision", which forms the basis for confirming the sighting of the crescent moon. This is in accordance with the hadith of the Prophet (PBUH), who stated: “Do not fast until you see the crescent moon, and do not break your fast until you see it. If it is obscured from you, estimate it.”
The drones will operate alongside traditional moon sighting methods, including observations made with the naked eye and advanced astronomical observatories spread across the country. These observatories employ state-of-the-art equipment to ensure precision in crescent sighting. The council emphasised that the drones will work in coordination with national institutions, specialised centres, and astronomical observatories to provide scientifically verified data.
If the crescent moon is sighted on Friday evening after the Maghrib prayer, Ramadan will commence on 1 March. Otherwise, the holy month will begin on 2 March. The UAE’s International Astronomy Centre has indicated that Ramadan is likely to begin on 1 March.
In preparation for the holy month, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has already announced revised working hours for government employees. Meanwhile, private sector employees will have their daily working hours reduced by two hours throughout Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia has also called upon all Muslims in the Kingdom to observe the crescent moon on the same evening.
