The UAE’s Moon Sighting Committee has announced that today, Wednesday, March 22, 2023, will be the 30th day of Sha’ban and that Thursday will be the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan in the country.
As the holy month of Ramadan begins tomorrow, Thursday, March 23, office and school hours will be shortened, special Iftar tents will be erected outside mosques, and prayers will extend well into the evening. A broad atmosphere of spirituality and reflection will sweep the UAE throughout the fasting month.
On Tuesday, the UAE entered the season of spring. For those who fast during the holy month from sunset to morning, this translates into fewer fasting hours.
Fasting hours
The Fajr (dawn) prayer call will be made on Ramadan Day 1 at 5.02am. Around Imsak time, which is roughly 10 minutes before the Fajr call to prayer, Muslims traditionally stop eating. Imsak is at 4.52 am and Iftar is at 6.35 pm, according to the Islamic Affairs and Charity Activities Agency (IACAD) website.
Over the course of the holy month, there will be more hours of fasting. Imsak is at 4.37 am and Iftar is at 6.41 pm on Ramadan 15. Muslims will fast on the 15th for 14 hours and 4 minutes without eating or drinking.
End of the holy month
The fasting hours would have increased to nearly 14-and-a-half hours by the time the holy month ends.
According to astronomical predictions, the holy month would last for 29 days this year. Imsak occurs at 4.21 am and Iftar is at 6.47 pm on Ramadan 29. Hence, the length of the fast is 14 hours and 26 minutes.
Taraweeh prayers
Taraweeh prayer is a late-evening congregational prayer offered in all mosques in the UAE during the holy month. It is presented shortly after the Isha prayer.
Eid Al Fitr break
The official Eid Al Fitr holiday in the UAE will be from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3. The break will be from Thursday, April 20, to Sunday, April 23 if the astronomical calculations are correct.
