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Rabat – The first day of Ramadan 2023 will officially take place on Thursday, March 23 in Singapore, according to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).
The director of religious and policy development at Singapore’s Islamic Religious Council Dr. Nazirudin Mohd Nasir made the announcement today explaining that the crescent moon appeared on Singapore’s horizon after sunset this evening for 38 minutes.
The religious council also announced that this year that no bookings are required to attend taraweeh prayer at 57 mosques, as part of the resumption of religious activity following the lifting of restrictions after the pandemic.
Taraweeh prayers will be carried out at 67 mosques, with a total of 98,550 spaces available. Meanwhile, bookings are only available in 10 mosques where demand is high and space is limited.
According to a 2021 report on International Religious Freedom in Singapore, 15.6 % of the Singapore population is Muslim (predominantly Sunni).
Ramadan is mandatory for adult Muslims. Individuals with long-term illnesses and other health issues as well as elderly people and pregnant women are exempt from fasting.
Fasting is one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam along with the profession of faith, daily prayers, Alms-giving, and Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.
Fasting requires worshippers to abstain from eating, drinking, having sex, and smoking, from dawn (fajr) to sunset (maghrib). At sunset, Muslims break their fast with traditional meals shared with family and friends (iftar.)
Ramadan concludes with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, a holiday dedicated to quality time with family members and loved ones. It also marks the return to a normal eating schedule.
Other countries such as Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkiye are also celebrating Ramadan on Thursday, March 23.
Read Also: Ramadan 2023 To Officially Begin on March 23 in Australia
