President Sisi extends Ramadan greetings to Egyptian Muslim communities abroad

CAIRO – 21 March 2023: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi sent a message of congratulations on Tuesday to the Egyptian Muslim communities abroad on the occasion of the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the official news agency MENA reported.

"Our brothers and sisters of the Egyptian Muslims abroad, I am pleased to send you my sincere congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan,” Sisi stated in the message, circulated by Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad.

The president prayed to God to accept the Egyptian Muslim communities’ fasting, prayers, and good deeds during the holy month, and to bestow his goodness and blessings upon them.

Sisi also prayed God to bless Egypt with further development, progress, and prosperity.

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.