Thursday to be first day of holy Ramadan month in Egypt: Dar Al-Iftaa

CAIRO - 21 March 2023: Dar Al-Iftaa, Egypt’s religious body entitled to issue Islamic opinions, announced next Thursday 23 March 2023 the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan of the Hijri year 1444.

This comes as Dar Al-Iftaa said in a statement that it did not sight the Ramadan crescent moon, meaning that Wednesday will be the last day of Shaaban month, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and UAE, also announced Thursday the starting date of the holy month.

On this occasion, Dar Al-Iftaa congratulated President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Egyptian people as well as peoples in all Arab and Islamic countries.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the five pillars of Islam where Muslims fast by refraining from eating or drinking throughout the morning hours of the 29-30 day month.

While Egyptians have been suffering from the rising prices of food and commodities ahead of the holy month, which usually sees high demand on these products, the state has been keen to open outlets of the Ahlan Ramadan fair to provide commodities to citizens with discounts.

The Muslim community will also celebrate Ramadan with almost no coronavirus restrictions in mosques for the first time in three years.