BREAKING: Ramadan 2024 to start on Monday
Ramadan is around the corner and, despite being the holiest month for more than 1.9 billion Muslims around the world, the exact day it begins determined only a night or two in advance.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, which is determined by Moon phases. This makes each month either 29 or 30 days long and is the reason for the variability as to when the holy month begins.
It is also why Ramadan falls 10 to 12 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.
The presence of a new Moon signals the start of a new month in the Islamic calendar.
When does Ramadan begin?
While the exact date has yet to be confirmed, an Islamic calendar for 1445 in the UAE has been released.
From that, an astronomer had told The National Ramadan would probably fall on March 12 but it may also begin on March 11.
The start of Ramadan will depend on how long the month of Shaban lasts – 29 or 30 days. The UAE’s International Astronomy Centre announced the sighting of the Shaban crescent moon on February 10.
How is the start of Ramadan determined?
According to tradition, Ramadan begins once the new Moon is seen. Fasting begins the following sunrise.
Sharia courts nationwide will follow up and inform the committee of any sightings, while the Lunar Calendar Committee at Abu Dhabi Judicial Department will look for evidence and inform the Moon-sighting committee of the findings.
Moon-sighting attempts are typically held across the UAE but not all manage to spot the crescent.
It is the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department that makes the decision after collecting reports from across the country.
Typically, Saudi Arabia leads the way in announcing the start and end of Ramadan in the region but each country has its own committee to confirm the presence of the new Moon.
What is the Moon-sighting committee?
The Moon-sighting committee is a group of astronomers, court officials and advisers from the country's Islamic authority that is formed and typically chaired by the Minister of Justice.
They meet after maghrib, or sunset, prayers on the 29th day of Shaban to look for the new crescent moon. If they see it, fasting begins the following day. If not, it will start the day after that.
Each year, the exact date when Ramadan starts is known only once the new crescent is seen.
The process is repeated around the time of the next new Moon. When that is spotted, Ramadan ends and Shawwal begins.
When is Eid Al Fitr?
Otherwise known as the Holiday of Breaking the Fast, Eid Al Fitr follows Ramadan directly.
It is most likely to fall on April 10 this year. If this comes to pass, public holidays will be in place for the private and public sector from April 9 to April 12.
Eid Al Fitr holidays are granted from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 in the Islamic calendar, with the exact dates announced according to relevant Moon sightings.
The exact date will depend on when Ramadan begins and if the month lasts 29 or 30 days.
Opening hours
Malls tend to extend their opening hours during Ramadan, to allow later evenings and accommodate those fasting.
Supermarkets and grocery shops are open as normal.
Some restaurants may change their opening hours to respect those fasting, so it is wise to check beforehand.
Parking
Paid parking hours change across the emirates during Ramadan.
Information on times and payment will be displayed on parking meters in different areas.
Details for each emirate will be announced closer to the time.
What counts as breaking the fast?
There are valid exceptions to fasting during Ramadan, for healthy Muslims.
These include if a person unintentionally eats or drinks while fasting, if a person is suffering from an illness or if a woman is pregnant or menstruating.
For more detail on what may or may not invalidate a fast during Ramadan, Hussein Al Ahdal, Grand Mufti at Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, clarified specifics here.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Age 26
Born May 17, 1991
Height 1.80 metres
Birthplace Sydney, Australia
Residence Eastbourne, England
Plays Right-handed
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$5,761,870 (Dh21,162,343.75)
Wins / losses 312 / 181
Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
