Abu Dhabi: The holy month of Ramzan 1444 AH (Anno Hegirae in Latin or “in the year of the Hijra”) -2023 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expected to begin on Thursday, March 23, 2023, UAE experts have predicted.
Islamic months last either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. In 2023, Ramzan is expected to last 29 days until Thursday, April 20, 2023.
According to Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomy Society, a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS), only 135 days left for the holy month.
The hours of fasting vary during the month because it depends on the sunrise and sunset. Muslims begin their fast from fajr – before the call to Fajr (dawn) prayer; and it ends when the call to prayer Maghrib is given.
Jarwan saidthat the fasting hours will reach approximately 14 hours, and vary about 40 minutes from the beginning of the month to the end.
On the other hand, Eid ul Fitr, marks the end of the month-long fast. Eid ul Fitr is expected to begin on Friday, April 21, 2023. Eid holidays will be from Ramzan 29 until Shawwal 3 – based on the Islamic calendar.
The exact date of the start of Ramzan and Eid-ul-fitr will be confirmed closer to the date, based on the moon-sighting tradition.
What is Ramzan?
In Islam, Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar— a lunar calendar consisting of twelve months beginning with Muharram, and ending with Zul-Hijjah. Each month starts with the sighting of the moon. Eid Al Fitr, on the other hand, marks the end of the month-long fast.
The calendar has been observed for more than 1,440 years and is used to date important Islamic events including the start of Ramzan, Eid-Al-Fitr, and the beginning of the Haj.
Ramzan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar and is believed to be the month during which the Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and abstain from food and drink during this period.
