The International Astronomy Center, based in Abu Dhabi, expected that Eid al-Fitr for the year 1444 AH will fall on Saturday, April 22.
The astronomical authority said that its predictions are based on astronomical information, and that the exact date of the feast will only be confirmed by the concerned authorities based on the sighting of the new crescent.
On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the Islamic community is investigating the crescent of Shawwal, but according to the center’s observation, it will not be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in the Arab and Islamic world.
The authority said in a statement, “Seeing the crescent on Thursday is not possible using a telescope in most countries of the Arab and Islamic world, with the exception of parts of West Africa starting from Libya, but its discovery remains very difficult and requires a precise telescope, professional observation and exceptional weather conditions.” The occurrence of all these factors is rare, and therefore it is not expected to see the crescent, even using a telescope, from anywhere in the Arab world, except in the aforementioned circumstances.
Therefore, since sighting the crescent moon is a prerequisite for the beginning of the month, Eid al-Fitr is expected to be on Saturday, April 22. But the International Astronomy Center urged people to report any sightings of the crescent, starting Thursday.
In a related context, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in the United Arab Emirates announced the official Eid al-Fitr holiday from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3. If the moon is not observed on Thursday, April 20 and April 22, the start of the holiday will be a five-day weekend.
Source: Khaleej Times
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