UAE Astronomer Predicts Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr 2023 Dates

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society, said Ramadan would likely begin on March 23, 2023. 

The confirmed dates can only be decided at the sighting of the moon closer to the end of Sha'ban in the Islamic Calender. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Hijri year and is usually 29 or 30 days long. This month ends with Eid-al-Fitr, which signals the end of the month of fasting for Muslims. 

Eid al-Fitr

The chairman has also predicted that Eid-al-Fitr will begin on April 21. The Eid holidays will start on Ramadan 29 and end on Shawwal 3, following the Islamic Calendar. 

If Friday, April 21, is going to be the first day of Eid, then UAE residents can expect a long four-day weekend. Employees of the private and public sectors will begin their regular weekend on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23, adding Monday, April 24 to their usual holiday.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is a Holy Month in Islam where Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn till dusk. In Islam, Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) during Ramadan for the first time. 

Muslims perform extra prayers after their Isha prayer (After sunset), which are known as tarawih during the Holy Month.