The UAE’s moon-sighting committee will confirm the official starting dates for Ramadan and Eid…

The holy month of Ramadan is likely to begin on Monday May 6, 2019, according to an astronomer from the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences.

According Gulf Business, astronomer Ibrahim Al Jarwan told local media that the crescent will be formed on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 2:46am UAE time, but will not be able to be seen after sunset.

“The new moon of the Holy Month of Ramadan will then be possibly seen on Monday, May 6, 2019 as per the astronomical standards of moon sighting.”

Al Jarwan also predicted that the start of the month of Shawaal, which marks Eid Al Fitr, is expected on Monday, June 3, 2019.

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“The new moon of the month of Eid Al Fitr is to disappear three minutes after sunset, while the first day of Shawwal is to fall on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 as per the due standards of moon sighting,” he explained.

The official dates for the UAE are yet to be confirmed by the UAE’s moon-sighting committee.

It’s set to be the shortest fasting period in four years for UAE residents, with Al Jarwan saying that the fasting period will begin at around 13 hours and ten minutes at the start of Ramadan, extending to 13 hours and 40 minutes by the end of the holy month.

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.

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