First Ramadan likely on July 21 in UAE

The Islamic Crescent Observation Project (ICOP) has announced that most Islamic countries may begin the Holy Month of Ramadan on Saturday, July 21st after moon sighting.

Mohammad Showkat Awda, chairman of the project said most Islamic countries have started the month of Sha'ban on the same day in a rare phenomena, therefore these nations would start monitoring the Ramadan Crescent on Thursday, July 19 which is Sha'ban 29 however the moon day would not be possible in all northern and some middle regions of the world.

He noted that the new moon of Ramadan in the rest of the Arab world will not be possible on Thursday due to the reason that moon will set along with sun or after a few minutes which doesn't not allow to see the moon even with the powerful astronomical telescopes, and so these regions should complete the month of Sha'aban with 30 days and the beginning of Ramadan would be on Saturday July 21st.

Awda said that Ramadan could be on Friday 20 of July in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, because they are adopting the sighting of the moon on Thursday.

He added: “Then it is expected that both Saudi Arabia and Egypt will announce the beginning of fasting on Friday, July 20, and most of the Arab countries will follow Saudi Arabia.”

Therefore, it is possible to see the moon on Thursday with telescope from the far south of the continent of Africa and South America only.

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