Rabat – Eid Al Fitr for the year 2022 is expected to take place on May 2, according to forecasts from the UAE’s International Astronomical Center.
Sighting the crescent will not be possible on April 30 due to the moon setting before the sun, according to the Center’s director Mohammed Shawkat Odeh.
The prediction extends to most other countries, Odeh said, especially those who celebrated the start of Ramadan on April 2.
Several emirates in the UAE such as Abu Dhabi and Ajman have announced 9-day long breaks for government employees to mark the occasion.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai will give their government workers a break from April 30 until May 8, while private sector workers get a vacation between April 30 and May 3.
In Dubai, the UAE’s touristic center, the celebrations are expected to take center stage during the second and third days of Eid Al Fitr, with the annual tradition of dance performances and music shows throughout the city.
Countries that started Ramadan on April 3 such as Morocco will sight the crescent on May 1 to determine the first day of Eid.
Eid Al Fitr is one of two major celebrations for Muslims in the year, as it marks the start of Shawwal and the end of Ramadan, and with it, the obligatory fast.
Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset everyday during Ramadan, as it is one of the five pillars of the religion.
Read also: 5 Psychological Benefits of Fasting During Ramadan
Due to being based on the lunar cycle, Muslim months and festitivities fall on different dates in the Gregorian calendar each year.
