Another Moroccan astronomer shared the same calculations online, emphasizing that Morocco will fast for only 29 days.
Rabat – Morocco will celebrate the first day of the holy month of Ramadan on April 25, Moroccan astronomer Abdelaziz Kharbouch Al Ifrani told Morocco World News on April 15.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslim people across the world fast from dawn to sunset.
Al Ifrani, whose calculations have never failed to predict exact dates for religious events in the country, told MWN that observing the crescent moon on the evening of April 23 should be impossible.
He said the conjunction of the sun and moon will take place on April 23 at 2:26 a.m. GMT +1, Morocco’s time zone.
“Whenever the period between the conjunction [between the crescent moon and the sun] and the time to assess is small, the opportunity to observe will unlikely be possible.”
Observers will not be able to see the crescent moon with the naked eye at its projected height, according to Al Ifrani.
The astronomy expert explained that the arc of the crescent, which is the measure of the sun’s degradation from the horizon, will not meet the required period for observation.
He explained that the height of the crescent will be at six degrees 12 minutes in, which falls short of the requirement of six degrees at 20 minutes.
Considering these calculations, the first day of Ramadan will be Saturday, April 25, pending an official announcement of the observation of the crescent across Morocco, Al Ifrani concluded.
The astronomer forecasts that Saudi Arabia and Turkey will announce April 24 as the first day of Ramadan.
Another Moroccan astronomer, Hicham El Aissaoui, shared similar calculations to predict the first day of the holy month in Morocco.
El Aissaoui estimates the number of days that Moroccans will fast at 29, while Saudi Arabia will fast for 30 days.
The astronomer said Eid El Fitr, the day when Muslims break the fast, will take place on May 24 in Morocco.
This year, Moroccan people will celebrate the feast day on the same day as Saudis, El Aissaoui said.
In 2019, Morocco celebrated the first day of Ramadan on May 7. Eid Al Fitr fell on June 5. Saudi Arabia celebrated the first day of Ramadan on May 6.
