Image Credit: Antonin Kélian Kallouche/Gulf News archive

Abu Dhabi: Ramadan will start on Friday, April 24, the UAE’s moon-sighting committee announced late on Thursday. The holy month of fasting observed by Muslims around the world lasts for 29 or 30 days (lunar cycle) and is dependent on the Hijri or Islamic calendar.

The announcement was made after the committee’s meeting after Maghreb prayers.

The holy month of fasting observed by Muslims around the world lasts for 29 or 30 days (lunar cycle) and is dependent on the Hijri or Islamic calendar.

The first day of Ramadan is traditionally marked by the sighting of the crescent moon with the naked eye, and is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. April 23 is 30th of Sha’ban which is the last day of the Islamic month right before Ramadan.

During Ramadan, adult Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. The start and end of the fast is marked by prayer times - Fajr prayers in the morning marks the start while Maghreb prayers mark the end of the fast for the day. The fast starts after a light meal before Fajr called 'suhour' while the meal ending the fast is called 'iftar'. On Friday, in Dubai the first day of Ramadan, Fajr timing is at 4.27am, while Maghreb is at 6.49pm.

It is permissible for COVID-19 patients not to fast Ramadan, the UAE Fatwa Council announced on Sunday. Healthy people must fast, declared the council following a virtual meeting chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, a few days prior to the start of the fasting month — expected to fall on Friday, April 24.

During Ramadan, Muslims pray every night, reciting different chapters each day until the Quran is completed by Eid Al Fitr. This is called the Taraweeh prayer, which is recited after Isha prayers mid-evening.

This year, Muslims will observe a Ramadan like none before due to the spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Congregational and Taraweeh prayers will be performed at home since mosques and places of worship will continue to be shut throughout Ramadan for people’s safety.

Also read Ramadan 2020: Longest and shortest fasting times in the world