Ramadan, Eid dates in 2020

With Ramadan less than a couple of weeks away, people are also looking at other important dates including Eid Al Fitr. These dates are marked by moon-sighting, as the lunar calendar relies on the observation of the new crescent moon to determine important events such as Ramadan and the proper time for Hajj.

Ebrahim Al Jarwan, General Supervisor at Sharjah Planetarium, said that through calculations based on astronomy, you can determine when months on the Islamic calendar are most likely to fall.

Al Jarwan explained that the new moon for Ramadan in 2020 will most likely occur on Thursday April 23, which means that April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan.

“The new moon for the month of Shawwal 1441H will be on May 22 after sunset but it will not be visible to the naked eye, so according to my calculations, we will be able to see the new moon in the UAE on Saturday May 23. This means that the first day of Eid Al Fitr will fall on May 24, on a Sunday,” he said.

As for the month of Dhu Al Hijja, which marks the dates for the pilgrim to Mecca, Al Jarwan said that the crescent moon will occur on July 20 after sunset, but it will not be visible.