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The first day of Ramadan has been confirmed, the moon-sighting committee has announced
15 May 2018
| Last updated on 25 February 2019
The Holy Month of Ramadan will begin on Thursday, 17th May, the UAE moon-sighting committee has confirmed.
The crescent moon has not been sighted on the evening of Tuesday, 15th May, and so the first day of Ramadan 2018 for the Hijri year, 1439, will fall on Thursday, according to news reports following the meeting of the moon-sighting committee at the Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department after the Maghrib prayer this evening.
SEE ALSO: The do's and don'ts of the Holy Month of Ramadan in Dubai and UAE
It was announced earlier this week that the start date of Ramadan 2018 in the UAE would be announced by the UAE's moon-sighting committee, led by Minister of Justice, Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi. Both Muslims and non-Muslims alike have been eager to hear news of when the official start date of the Holy Month will fall.
This means that the month of Sha'aban will end on or around Thursday, 14th June, 2018.
This will be followed by Eid Al Fitr, marked by the new moon at the beginning of the month of Shawwal. Of course, as the Hijri calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the last day of Ramadan may alter slightly depending on the sighting of the moon closer to the time.
News of when Ramadan will start first broke after Saudi media sources confirmed that the moon could not be sighted in the Kingdom.
The first day of Ramadan in UAE was confirmed shortly after, following the moon-sighting committee meeting this evening. Dubai Media Office confirmed on their official Twitter account, as well as reports from Gulf News.
What is Ramadan?
The Holy Month of Ramadan is a special month in the Islamic calendar, as it is when Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset, for 30 days. The act of fasting is known as ‘sawm’, and is one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslims follow.
The word ‘Ramadan’ itself comes from the Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness
Why do Muslims fast during Ramadan?
During the Holy Month, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking and engaging in intimate relations. Muslims are also instructed to refrain from sinful behaviour that may negate the act of fasting, like fighting (unless self-defence) or false speech.
Fasting is obligatory for adult Muslims, except for individuals who have an illness, are travelling, and are elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, chronically ill or menstruating.
As well as fasting, other common observances for Muslims during Ramadan include charity (also known as 'zakat' and 'sadaqah'), nightly prayers and the recitation of the Quran.
The do's and don'ts of Ramadan
We have an extensive guide cover the do's and don'ts of the Holy Month of Ramadan in UAE, but for a brief overview - refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public during daylight hours throughout the month of fasting.
Anyone caught doing so may cause extreme offence to others around then, and you may even face a fine from Dubai Police.
What is the UAE moon-sighting committee?
Each year, officials in the UAE form a panel led by a government representative to confirm when the crescent moon is observed. Once seen, this marks the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
For Ramadan 2018, the UAE moon-sighting committee was led by the UAE's Minister of Justice, Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi. All Sharia courts in the UAE were also requested to participate in the moon-sighting efforts, and they should share any findings with the committee.
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