Statement of the Religious Authority Office at the Institution of the Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra), regarding the Beginning of the Month of Sha'ban, 1447 AH.
The new crescent of the month of Sha'ban for the year 1447 AH (central conjunction) will be born on Sunday, the eighteenth of the month of January for the year 2026 AD. The birth will occur at 19:52 p.m. according to Universal Time, which is 21:52 p.m. according to the winter time of the city of Beirut.
As noted in the attached image, sighting on Sunday evening (the night of Monday) is not possible in any region of the world. Therefore, Monday 19/01/2026 is the completion of the thirty days of the month of Rajab 1447.
On Monday evening (the night of Tuesday), the crescent can be seen with the naked eye and easily in Central America, the southern part of North America, and the northern part of South America. Or, it can be seen with the naked eye, provided the sky is clear and the observer is experienced, in many regions such as the north of North America, the south of South America, and most of the African continent. It can also be seen with the armed eye as in regions of Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Accordingly, the beginning of the month of Sha'ban will be Tuesday 20/01/2026 for all regions.
This is according to the jurisprudential opinion of his Eminence, the Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra). He views that the month begins if it is possible to sight the crescent in any region of the world, provided we share with it a part of the night. This is without difference between sighting with the naked eye and with the armed eye, in addition to completing the count of the previous month.
We ask Allah the Exalted for success for good deeds in the Grand month of Sha'ban. We ask for the acceptance of deeds, forgiveness, mercy, relief, victory, and honor. Indeed, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.
Statement of the Religious Authority Office at the Institution of the Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra), regarding the Beginning of the Month of Sha'ban, 1447 AH.
The new crescent of the month of Sha'ban for the year 1447 AH (central conjunction) will be born on Sunday, the eighteenth of the month of January for the year 2026 AD. The birth will occur at 19:52 p.m. according to Universal Time, which is 21:52 p.m. according to the winter time of the city of Beirut.
As noted in the attached image, sighting on Sunday evening (the night of Monday) is not possible in any region of the world. Therefore, Monday 19/01/2026 is the completion of the thirty days of the month of Rajab 1447.
On Monday evening (the night of Tuesday), the crescent can be seen with the naked eye and easily in Central America, the southern part of North America, and the northern part of South America. Or, it can be seen with the naked eye, provided the sky is clear and the observer is experienced, in many regions such as the north of North America, the south of South America, and most of the African continent. It can also be seen with the armed eye as in regions of Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Accordingly, the beginning of the month of Sha'ban will be Tuesday 20/01/2026 for all regions.
This is according to the jurisprudential opinion of his Eminence, the Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra). He views that the month begins if it is possible to sight the crescent in any region of the world, provided we share with it a part of the night. This is without difference between sighting with the naked eye and with the armed eye, in addition to completing the count of the previous month.
We ask Allah the Exalted for success for good deeds in the Grand month of Sha'ban. We ask for the acceptance of deeds, forgiveness, mercy, relief, victory, and honor. Indeed, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.