The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially announced Monday (Mar 11) as the commencement of Ramadan this year. As reported by the Khaleej Times, the UAE’s Moon-sighting committee confirmed on Sunday that the crescent Moon, indicating the start of a new month in the Islamic Hijri calendar, was sighted on Sunday evening.
A decrease in temperatures has been noted in the country following heavy rainfall over the weekend. The report suggests that Ramadan this year in the UAE is expected to have pleasant weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from warm to hot during March-April.
Islamic months typically span either 29 or 30 days, contingent upon the sighting of the Moon. Given that the Moon was observed on Sunday evening, the preceding month in the Hijri calendar, Sha’ban, concluded after 29 days. Consequently, Ramadan 1 falls on March 11.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, holds significant religious and spiritual importance for Muslims. According to the Islamic Networks Group (ING), during Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an and observe fasting from food and drink during daylight hours, aiming to draw closer to God while fostering self-discipline, gratitude, and empathy for the less fortunate.
“Ramadan is a period of heightened spiritual rejuvenation, characterized by increased devotion, extensive Qur’anic recitation, and special prayers. Individuals exempt from fasting, such as pregnant or nursing women, the ill, elderly, and children, are not obliged to fast,” states ING’s website.
Muslims fast from predawn until sunset, abstaining from food, drink, and, if married, marital relations during daylight hours, spanning 11-16 hours depending on the time of year for a duration of 29-30 days. Ramadan serves as an opportunity for Muslims to refine themselves both physically and spiritually by refraining from negative behaviors such as gossiping, backbiting, falsehoods, and quarrels.
Additionally, the crescent Moon indicating the start of Ramadan was also sighted in Saudi Arabia, aligning with the announcement that fasting would commence on Monday. Following suit, Gulf Arab nations confirmed their observance of Ramadan starting on Monday, with leaders extending congratulatory messages marking the beginning of the holy month.
According to reports from the news agency Associated Press, some Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, are set to commence Ramadan on Tuesday after failing to spot the crescent moon.
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