The sighting falls in line with previous calculations by astronomers in Doha.

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) confirmed Ramadan will start on Thursday 23 March.

In a televised announcement on Tuesday, the Crescent Sighting Committee at Awqaf stated they have not yet sighted the crescent moon, thus confirming the start of the holy month of Ramadan to be Thursday.

The moon is sighted annually through different methods.

One way is through the naked eye, which is considered to be the traditional method practiced during the time of the Prophet Muhammed.

This method is still practiced by countries such as Qatar as well as other states in the Gulf and Levant regions.

However, physically witnessing the moon can be hindered by factors such as weather conditions.

Another method is through a telescope or other astronomical equipment, which allows for greater accuracy.

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

During the month, Muslims are encouraged to give charity while also abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and having marital relations from dawn until sunset.