Shaaban crescent spotted in Abu Dhabi, 30 days to Ramadan in UAE

Astronomers in the UAE have confirmed the sighting of the Shaaban moon, marking the official start of the next Islamic month on Friday, January 31. This announcement was made by the UAE’s International Astronomy Centre (IAC) after capturing an image of the crescent moon at 9:30 AM from the Al Khatem Astronomical Observatory in Abu Dhabi. The observatory team noted that the moon’s distance from the sun was 10.5 degrees at the time of sighting

Shaaban, the eighth month in the Islamic calendar, holds significance as a period of spiritual preparation for the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from dawn to dusk, engaging in acts of worship and reflection. The exact start of Ramadan is determined based on the sighting of the crescent moon at the end of Shaaban. On the 29th day of Shaaban, official moon-sighting committees will gather to observe the sky and confirm when the holy month will commence. If the crescent moon is visible, Ramadan begins the following day.

According to astronomical calculations, Ramadan is expected to start on March 1 this year, though this remains subject to official moon-sighting observations.

The first day of Shaaban has been confirmed to fall on January 31 for several countries, including the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is also anticipated to begin on the same day in Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco and Mauritania.

With the arrival of Shaaban, Muslims across these nations are set to enter a period of preparation, reflection, and anticipation ahead of the upcoming month of Ramadan.