Ramadan likely to begin on April 24, Eid dates forecast

The holy month of Ramadan will begin on Friday, April 24, an astronomer in the UAE has predicted.

The crescent moon of Ramadan will be “born on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 6.26am”, Ibrahim Al Jarwan, member of the Arab union for astronomy and Space sciences told local Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm.

That will make the moon visible to the human eye at sunset on April 23, with fasting set to begin the following day.

Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims across the world fast from sunrise to sunset.

Fasting is expected to last for less than 15 hours this year in the UAE, the report quoted Al Jarwan as stating.

The end of Ramadan, when the new moon is sighted, marks Eid Al Fitr – the start of the Shawwal month.

The month of Ramadan is anticipated to last for 30 days this year, with the first day of Eid Al Fitr expected to fall on Sunday, May 24, according to Al Jarwan.

In the UAE, the moon-sighting committee will confirm the official starting dates for Ramadan and Eid.