UAE Moon Sighting Starts Today; Ramadan Official Dates To Be Announced Soon!

by Deeplata Garde
UAE Moon Sighting Starts Today; Ramadan Official Dates To Be Announced Soon!

Ramadan dates are initially announced at the start of the year. But spotting the crescent moon to announce the official commencement of the holy month is an annual process that occurs worldwide. The moon sighting is a crucial ritual to understand & all Muslims follow it every year. Likewise this year, all of UAE will be out for Moon sighting starting today. Post the sighting, the beginning dates of Ramadan would be announced.

UAE-ites Will Scan The Skies To Sight The Moon For Ramadan

The Moon sighting committee will start the search operation on Tuesday night. If the crescent is spotted then expect Ramadan to start from the dawn of Wednesday. If the following doesn’t go according to the plan then you can anticipate the fasting to start no longer than Thursday. The moon sometimes is not spotted due to cloudy conditions in the region. For this, the Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department will meet following the Maghreb prayer.

A report by Wam claims that Sharia courts around the nation will keep an eye out for sightings and alert the committee. But it will be the Lunar Calendar Committee that will share its results with the Moon-sighting Committee.

Also Read: Ramadan 2023: 7 Best Iftar Meals To Try In UAE

Why Is This Process So Important For Ramadan?

The beginning and end of Ramadan are signalled by moon sightings. A long-standing custom in Islam is for individuals and religious leaders to look up at the night sky to see the crescent moon before Ramadan begins. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed his followers to look for the moon, which is beneficial, in accordance with the Imams and the culture. Dr Abdul Hameed Zafar, the imam of a mosque in International City, advised followers to observe the sunnah whether the moon was visible for one hour, five hours or ten hours.

The weather forecasters have some news to share! Several areas of the nation are predicted to get rain today. The National Center for Meteorology has directed that Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Northern Emirates will likely have scattered clouds with rain.

So anticipate an amazing crowd watching out of their windows or even stepping out to observe this annual ritual of moon sighting in UAE.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Stock Images