Celebrations for the holy month of Ramadan will be different this year…

The local Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Team (ECDMT) in Sharjah has just announced a set of preventive measures which need to be adhered to during the holy month of Ramadan.

The aim is to persevere the safety of the community amidst the pandemic.

According to the ECDMT team: family or institutional Iftar tents are prohibited.

Public grouping for Iftar banquets, offering or distributing of Iftar meals in front of restaurants, homes, mosques or any other gathering points is banned.

Additionally, the ECDMT team also announced that any form of advertising announcing Iftar special offers will not be allowed.

Distribution of meals of in-kind assistance to needy families through official charitable bodies accredited in the emirate will also be limited.

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), field teams will be formed from concerned authorities to intensify their inspection and monitoring campaigns during the holy month of Ramadan.

The ECDMT called on all members of the community to cooperate to maintain the health and safety of the city. Any violations are to be reported on 901 or via email on covid19@shjpolice.gov.ae

These announcements in Sharjah come just a week after Dubai announced the decision to cancel all Ramadan tent permits in the city. Dubai also announced that the current restrictions and precautionary measures in place will be extended until the start of Ramadan.

So, when is Ramadan predicted to be?

According to Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, who is a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, Tuesday, ‘April 13 shall mark the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan 1442 H while the crescent moon of Shawwal will be sighted on Wednesday, May 12. Therefore, Thursday, May 13 will mark the first day of Shawwal and the month of Ramadan will complete 30 days.’

However, we will let you know when the official announcement is released confirming the dates.

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