The Islamic holy month of fasting, Ramadan, is anticipated to commence on 1 March, 2025, in Egypt and most Arab nations, according to astronomical calculations from the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) based in Cairo.
However, the final determination of the start date will be made by Dar El-Iftaa (House of Fatwa), the authoritative body responsible for issuing religious edicts in Egypt.
In an official announcement, NRIAG stated that the new crescent moon of Ramadan will be born immediately after the conjunction at 2:47 AM Cairo local time on 28 February, 2025.
This date marks the official day for the sighting of the crescent. The crescent will be visible for varying durations after sunset: approximately 33 minutes in Mecca and 37 minutes in Cairo, with other regions in Egypt seeing visibility ranging from 34 to 37 minutes.
In recent years, many Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, have increasingly relied on astronomical calculations to determine the start of Islamic lunar months.
Traditionally, the beginning of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the crescent moon, a practice that has been followed for centuries.
If the crescent is observed after sunset, it signals the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Fasting hours during Ramadan 2025 are expected to vary between 13 and 14 hours across Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait.
The fasting duration will begin at its shortest in the early days of Ramadan, gradually increasing to around 14 hours by the end of the holy month.
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