Astronomically Ramadan to begin on March 23, says Qatar Calendar House

Doha: According to astronomical calculations by specialists at Qatar Calendar House (QCH), the holy month of Ramadan for the year is expected to begin on Thursday, March 23, 2023.

It added that Wednesday, March 22, will be the completion of the month of Shaban 1444 AH.

The official decision of the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan for this year remains within the competence of the Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affair in Qatar.

Executive director of the Sheikh Abdullah Al Ansari Complex, Engineer Faisal Mohammed Al Ansari said that the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan for this year will be born on Tuesday corresponding to March 21, 2023 at 8:24pm Doha local time (5:34 pm GMT). 

Engineer Faisal Al Ansari added: “It is impossible to see the crescent of the holy month of Ramadan for the year 1444 AH on the evening of the investigation day (Tuesday, March 21, 2023 AD) in the sky of the State of Qatar, and most of the Arab and Islamic countries, because the crescent will not have been born at sunset on that day.”

It is worth noting that the beginnings and ends of the Hijri months depend on the movement of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth, while the beginnings and ends of the Gregorian months depend on the movement of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun.