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The first day of the Holy Month will be on May 6 - Ramadan Kareem!
29 April 2019
| Last updated on 5 May 2019
The Holy Month of Ramadan will begin on May 6, an announcement by Dubai Media Office has confirmed.
The Ramadan crescent moon was not sighted yesterday, on May 4, and has been sighted on May 5, so the first day of Ramadan 2019 for the Hijri year 1440 will fall on Monday, which is May 6, according to news reports.
The news comes following 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
This means that the month of Sha'aban 29 will end today on May 5, and the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan will be May 6.
The Holy Month will be followed by Eid Al Fitr in 30 days, 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.
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.
Did you know?
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 2019, the UAE moon-sighting committee met on May 5, under the chairmanship of Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi Al Dhaheri, Minister of Justice. All Sharia courts in the UAE Were requested to participate in the moon-sighting efforts, and were asked to share any findings with the committee today to confirm the start date as May 6.
