It will be here before we know it…

An expert astronomer in Sharjah has predicted the dates for Ramadan 2021, based on astronomical calculations.

According to Gulf News, Ebrahim Al Jarwan, member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences and head of Sharjah Planetarium, said that the new crescent moon for Ramadan will be seen on Monday, April 12, 2021 at 6.31 am.

Al Jarwan said: “We will be able to be see the crescent moon the next day, although with some difficulty, on the evening of April 13, which signifies the start of Ramadan 2021.”

The month of Shawwal is expected to start on Tuesday May 11, 2021, however we might not see the crescent moon until Thursday May 13, which will mark the start of Eid Al Fitr. This usually means we’ll have a public holiday, although we’re not sure yet how many days we’ll have off.

What is Ramadan?

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking or smoking between sunrise and sunset.

Lasting about a month, it marks the time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Extra tarawih prayers are performed at the mosque throughout Ramadan and each evening 1/30th of the holy book is recited. By the end of Ramadan, many observers have read the entire Qur’an.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds.