Prepare your calendars: a UAE astronomer has predicted the dates for Ramadan and Eid al Fitar in 2024.
The holy month of Ramadan is expected to start in less than six months, on Monday, March 11, 2024, according to astronomical projections.
If you’re wondering how many days we’ll be taking off for Eid al Fitar, the break lasts from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 on the Islamic Calendar (Hijri), which translates to Monday, April 8 to Friday, April 12 in the Gregorian calendar.
If astrological projections are correct, people having a Saturday and Sunday weekend will get a nine-day holiday before going to work on Monday, April 15.
If the crescent moon cannot be seen and it is a 30-day Ramadan, Eid al Fitar will be a seven-day holiday, running from Tuesday, April 8 to Friday, April 12.
Because the Islamic Calendar focuses on lunar months, there must be a sighting of the moon in an exact specific phase for these dates to be certified in the Gregorian calendar (the usual January to December form). We will have to wait for UAE officials to confirm these dates closer to the time.
What is Eid al Fitar?
Eid al Fitar, also known as the “Festival of Breaking of the Fast,” is one of Islam’s two official holidays. It commemorates the conclusion of Ramadan and is celebrated by Muslims globally.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is celebrated by Muslims all over the world as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and camaraderie. Fasting is one of Islam’s five pillars, which act as the religion’s foundation. The pillars comprise the system in which Muslims globally live, and Ramadan is the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, contemplation, and religious devotion, like penance for past misdeeds and focusing on Allah using good works.
