Sighting of new ‘crescent’ moon to end holy month of Ramadan

At sunset on Thursday, Muslims in Barbados and across the region will scan the skies over the Caribbean Sea in search of the new ‘crescent’ moon. If sighted it will mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the commencement of the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, Festival of Fast-breaking, joining 2 billion Muslims worldwide. If the region doesn’t sight the new moon on Thursday an additional day of fasting is undertaken and Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on Saturday. CARICOM member states, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname have national public holidays for Eid.

Ramadan, the 9^th month of the Islamic calendar, is a special time for Muslims annually. Characterized by complete fasting during the daylight hours, extra prayers at night and increased charity. The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr celebrates the end of that month-long period of spiritual upliftment and re-connection to the Creator.

In a rare occurrence Ramadan and Lent began at the same time this year. In Islam and most Christian denominations, Ramadan and Lent are among the most spiritually significant periods on the religious calendar. While rooted in different theological traditions, both share profound common themes: sacrifice, self-discipline, repentance, charity, and a conscious turning toward the Divine.

Islam is the world’s fastest growing faith according to the Pew Research Centre. In June 2025, in the Center’s study measuring the evolution of the global religious population between 2010 and 2020 it stated: “Muslims are the fastest-growing faith group, followed by the religiously unaffiliated”. Christianity remains the world’s largest religion, with 2.3 billion believers — nearly 29% of the world’s population while Muslims account for the second largest with just over 25%.

Ramadan and Eid this year is being observed at a time of increasing tensions in the Muslim world, especially in the Middle East. The ongoing Israel-US war against Iran, Lebanon and Palestine threatens world peace and stability. The closure by the Israeli regime of the third holiest space for Muslims, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, since mid-Ramadan has disrupted Muslims who travel specially during this sacred time to pray there. Muslims across the globe use this blessed time for increased reflection and prayers for peace, end to war, and the safety of humanity. (PR)