Representational photo
Hyderabad: While India awaits dusk, the Hilal Committee of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) has confirmed that the Ramzan crescent moon has not been sighted today.
The holy month of Ramzan in New Zealand will begin on February 20, 2026.
This confirmation also comes from Maunatul Islam Trust of New Zealand and Fiji Muslim League.
Earlier attempts were made to sight the Ramzan crescent moon despite cloudy skies in New Zealand.
The date for the beginning of Ramzan in India will be decided based on the sighting of the crescent moon. If sighted today, the holy month in India will begin tomorrow; otherwise, it will start on Friday.
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Sadar Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Deccan, also known as the Moon Sighting Committee, is scheduled to convene its monthly meeting in Hyderabad on February 18, 2026, at 6:00 pm to determine the start date of Ramzan in the country.
While moon sighting committees gear up for the meeting in India today, in Saudi Arabia, Ramzan began as the crescent moon was sighted on Tuesday evening. In other Middle East countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ramzan began today.
This post was last modified on February 18, 2026 2:56 pm