Qatar Calendar House predict 23 March to be the first day of Ramadan this year.

The Qatar Calendar House has predicted that the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan this year may fall on Thursday, 23 March, based on astronomical calculations.

The last day of Shaban of the year 1444 AH is predicted to be on Wednesday, 22 March.

The Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs is responsible for officially declaring the start of Ramadan in Qatar.

According to Faisal Al-Ansari, Executive Director of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ansari Complex, the crescent of the month of Ramadan for this year will be visible on the evening of Tuesday, 21 March, at 8:24 pm Doha local time (5:24 pm UTC).

 “It is impossible to see the crescent of the blessed 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,” he said.

Despite the prediction, the official decision remains to be declared by the Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) in Qatar.

According to the Islamic Hijri calendar, months begin and end depending on the movement of the moon in its orbit around the earth.

On the other hand, Gregorian months are determined by the movement of the earth in its orbit around the sun.