Rabat – The first day of Ramadan 2023 will officially take place on March 24 in India, according to India’s leading organization of Islamic scholars Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind.
In a statement shared today, the organization said that “ the Ramadan crescent moon was not sighted in India on Wednesday evening, hence the holy month of Ramadan will officially begin on Friday.”
इमारत-ए-शरिया हिंद द्वारा घोषणा की गयी है कि रमजान का पहला दिन शुक्रवार 24 मार्च, 2023 से शुरू होगा ।
.भारत में बुधवार शाम को रमजान का चांद नहीं देखा गया, इसलिए रमजान का पवित्र महीना आधिकारिक तौर पर शुक्रवार (जुमा ) से शुरू होगा। pic.twitter.com/XgKs6lBirX
— Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (@JamiatUlama_in) March 22, 2023
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, India is home to approximately 200 million Muslims, one of the world’s largest Muslim populations.
Ramadan is a month that provides Muslims prosperity and peace; it is a period of spiritual discipline during which people strive to do more good deeds, increase charity, and re-read the Quran.
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 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.
The holy month is marked by a spiritual atmosphere and mosques are usually crowded during the month as worshipers take advantage of the opportunity to pray especially during Taraweeh prayers.
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 Singapore, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkiye are celebrating Ramadan on Thursday, March 23.
