Eid Al Fitr 2023 likely to fall on Saturday, April 22: International Astronomical Center

Dubai: Eid Al Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, could fall on Saturday, April 22, 2023, according to the International Astronomy Centre.

The exact date will only be confirmed based on the moon sighting, with countries across the Islamic world set to investigate the crescent of the month of Shawwal on Thursday, April 20.

The International Astronomy Centre said in a Twitter post that sighting the crescent on Thursday is nearly impossible with the naked eye or a telescope in most Arab and Islamic countries, except parts of West Africa. Specific conditions, such as an accurate telescope, a professional observer, and exceptional weather, are required for the sighting to be possible.

'Eid depends solely on moon sightings'

Based on this principle, the centre predicts Eid Al Fitr to fall on Saturday, April 22. The center also clarified that these predictions are based on "astronomical information" and those criteria for the beginning of the month vary across the Islamic world.

Eid could be announced on different days depending on where you live, according to the IAC. In the UAE, Eid Al Fitr could begin on Friday or Saturday. However, the date will not be confirmed until after Thursday's meeting of the Moon-sighting committee.

The GCC countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, have already announced Eid Al Fitr holidays for public and private sectors. UAE and Saudi Arabia have declared a four-day weekend, while Qatar has announced an 11-day holiday. Oman and Kuwait will observe a five-day weekend.

The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has called on Muslims to sight the Shawwal crescent on Thursday evening, April 20, and report any sightings to the nearest court or contact center. Muslims with the ability to do so are encouraged to join the committees formed for this purpose and participate in the process of sighting the crescent.