Ramadan 2023 Updates: Crescent Moon Not Spotted in Saudi; Ramadan's First Day on March 23

Ramadan moon has not been sighted tonight across UK hence, Ramadan 2023 will begin from Wednesday evening and the first day will be on Thursday i.e. March 23.

After Saudi Arabia, Kuwait’s moon-sighting committee has announced that Thursday, March 23, will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

During the holy month of Ramadan, the Sharjah municipality has announced that paid parking hours will be from 8 am to midnight, Saturday through Thursday. However, parking will be free on Fridays, except in zones with blue information signs where parking will remain a paid service every day of the week, a Mint report said.

Since moon observers could not spot the crescent moon in Saudi Arabia, the first day of Ramadan will commence on March 23, a Gulf News report said on Tuesday.

The holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During Ramadan Muslims worldwide observe fast. The beginning of the month of Ramadan depends on moon sightings. It is expected that Ramadan will begin on March 22 or March 23 and end on April 21 or April 22, on the day of Eid-ul-fitr. Moon sighting is important to decide the beginning and the end of the month of Ramadan. READ MORE

Refereeing bodies have told Premier League and English Football League match officials to pause play so players can break their fast during the holy period of Ramadan, Sky Sports reported on Tuesday. Match officials have been issued guidance so players can break their fast by taking on liquids, energy gels or supplements on the touchline during a pause in play. Ramadan begins on Wednesday and lasts a month. (Reuters)

The fasting date changes yearly because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle hence, its starting and end date depends upon the sighting of the crescent moon. Usually, the crescent of Ramadan is first sighted in Saudi Arabia and some parts of India along with some Western countries and then usually a day later in the rest of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries.

The exact date of the holy month of Ramadan varies from country to country. As per the local tradition, Middle Eastern countries celebrate both Ramadan and Eid-ul-fitr, one day earlier than most countries in the world.

Both India and Pakistan will mark the month of Ramadan on March 23. The month will conclude on April 21 (Friday) and Muslims across the globe will celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr on April 22.

The Ramadan month will come to an end on April 21 (Friday) and Muslims across the globe will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr the next day on April 22.

In India, a moon sighting is expected to take place on March 22, after moon sighting takes place in Mecca. The Ramadan month will come to an end on April 21 (Friday) and Muslims across the globe will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr the next day on April 22.

In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Ramadan will begin on March 23, while in Indonesia it will begin on March 22, and in Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Turkey, it will also begin on March 23.

Since the month of Ramdan coincides with the onset of summers in most parts of India, there is a need for those fasting to remain hydrated. In Hyderabad, the ‘mohabbat ka sharbat’ is a fantastic drink to start or end the fast. “The recipe includes watermelon, rose, and milk and is consumed chilled, nothing can be better than that if we add a few basil seeds to it too,” said Chef Mrigank Singh, Executive Chef, The Pink Elephant.