The new crescent (hilal) is the thin sliver of moon first visible after sunset shortly after the astronomical new moon (conjunction). This sighting marks the official beginning of a new Islamic month. The crescent typically becomes visible 1-2 days after conjunction when the moon has moved far enough from the sun to reflect sunlight to Earth. In Islamic tradition, the actual visual sighting of this crescent by reliable witnesses is what determines the start of a new month, especially for Ramadan and the Eid festivals.

The waxing crescent phase continues for several days after the first sighting, with the illuminated portion growing each evening. Visible in the western sky after sunset, the crescent appears to grow thicker each night. In the Islamic calendar perspective, this phase spans approximately from the 2nd to the 6th day of the month. During this period, the moon sets progressively later each evening.

The first quarter moon occurs around the 7th day of the Islamic month, when half of the moon's disk is illuminated (the right half as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere). From an Islamic calendar perspective, this marks roughly the first quarter of the month's passage. The moon at this phase rises around midday, is highest at sunset, and sets around midnight.

The waxing gibbous phase shows more than half but less than full illumination, with the lit portion still increasing. This phase occurs from approximately the 8th to 13th days of the Islamic month. The moon during this phase rises in the afternoon, is visible at sunset, and remains in the sky for much of the night, setting after midnight.

The full moon occurs around the 14th-15th day of the Islamic month when the entire disk is illuminated. This middle-month full moon rises at sunset (Maghrib time) and sets at sunrise (Fajr time), illuminating the entire night. The 14th night is known as the "Night of Full Moon" (Laylat al-Badr) in Islamic tradition and holds cultural significance.

The waning gibbous phase begins after the full moon as the illuminated portion starts to decrease. From the Islamic calendar perspective, this spans approximately the 16th to 21st days of the month. During this phase, the moon rises after sunset and later each night, remaining visible until morning.

The last quarter moon occurs around the 22nd day of the Islamic month, when half of the moon is illuminated again (the left half as seen from the Northern Hemisphere). The moon at this phase rises around midnight and sets around noon, being most visible in the pre-dawn and early morning hours before and during Fajr prayer time.

The waning crescent phase shows the final crescent before the moon disappears. From an Islamic calendar perspective, this spans approximately the 23rd to 28th days of the month. The crescent becomes thinner each morning and rises increasingly closer to dawn each day. The last visible crescent is often seen shortly before sunrise.

Conjunction (astronomical new moon) occurs when the moon is positioned directly between the Earth and Sun, with the side facing us receiving no direct sunlight, making it invisible. This typically happens on the 29th or 30th day of the Islamic month. In Islamic tradition, the month only officially ends when the next new crescent is sighted.