Eid al-Fitr is one of the most important occasions celebrated by Muslims around the world, and astronomically it is expected that the number of days of the month of Ramadan for the year 2023 (corresponding to 1444 AH) will be 29 days, as the first day of the holy month began on Thursday, March 23, and lasts for 29 days, according to astronomical calculations, followed by Eid al-Fitr on Friday, April 21, 2023.
The crescent of the month of Shawwal will be investigated in most Arab and Islamic countries on the evening of Ramadan 28, 1444 AH, corresponding to Thursday, April 20, 2023.
The Eid al-Fitr holiday for this year is supposed to be no less than 3 days, starting from Friday, April 21, 2023 and continuing until the evening of Sunday, April 23 of the same month in most Arab and Islamic countries, so that work will officially return on Monday 24 of the same month, taking into account that many Arab countries grant a vacation of up to 6 working days to celebrate this religious occasion.
The date of sighting the Ramadan crescent 2023
It is astronomically expected that the crescent of the month of Shawwal will be born immediately after the conjunction occurs at 5:14 pm Makkah time on Thursday 29 Ramadan 1444 corresponding to April 20, 2023, which is the day of visibility. The new crescent remains in the sky of Makkah for 23 minutes after sunset that day.
In Arab and Islamic capitals and cities, the new crescent remains after sunset that day for periods ranging from 10 minutes to 35 minutes, so the first of the month of Shawwal 1444 will be astronomical on Friday, April 21, 2023, which is the day of Eid Al-Fitr.
If the crescent is not observed on that day, it will be Friday, which completes the month of Ramadan, and that month is completed by 30 days, so that Saturday, April 22 will be the first day of Eid.
Worshippers perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at Baqa'a refugee camp near Amman (Reuters-Archive)
The following are the expectations of the date of the Eid al-Fitr holiday in various Arab and Islamic countries:
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in the Arab countries
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in Egypt
Scientists of the National Institute for Astronomical Research in Helwan said that the crescent of the month of Shawwal will be born at 6:14 minutes Egypt time on the evening of Thursday 29 Ramadan 1444 corresponding to April 20, 2023. The crescent is sought through the Sharia Committee for the Crescent Survey, which is affiliated with the Egyptian Dar al-Iftaa, so that Eid will be during the period from Friday 21 April until Monday 24 of the same month, according to Egyptian newspapers and news websites.
State employees in Egypt receive full-paid official holidays throughout the days of Eid, according to the articles of the Egyptian Labor Law, as work is suspended in all government institutions.
It is assumed that the Eid al-Nessim holiday – which falls on Monday, April 17 – will be moved to Thursday 20 of the same month to become part of the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Egypt 2023, which will start from Friday, April 21 and continue until Monday 24 of the same month.
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in Saudi Arabia
The duration of the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Saudi Arabia is usually 4 days for the private sector, so it is expected to be on Friday, April 21, and will continue until Monday, April 24. In the government sector, the Eid holiday is expected to begin on Tuesday, April 18, and the official working hours will return on Tuesday, April 25.
Young men greet each other on Eid al-Fitr in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz (Al Jazeera-Archive)
Eid Al Fitr Holiday 2023 in Qatar
According to the Mizan website of the Ministry of Justice in Qatar, official holidays in ministries and other government agencies, public authorities and institutions are as follows: Eid al-Fitr holiday from day 28 of Ramadan to the end of the fourth day of Shawwal. If public holidays are interspersed with official or weekly holidays, the number of holidays shall be added to the aforementioned holidays. If the separation between two public holidays is one working day, it shall be considered one of the two holidays.
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in the UAE
The official Eid Al Fitr holiday in the UAE is usually 3 days, but sometimes an additional day or two may be granted if Eid coincides with the official weekend in the UAE, which starts at midday on Friday and lasts until Monday morning. The Eid al-Fitr holiday in the UAE is expected to start from Thursday, April 20 and continue until Monday, April 24.
Eid Al Fitr Holiday 2023 in Kuwait
According to the schedule of public holidays in the State of Kuwait, the Eid al-Fitr holiday is expected to start on Friday, April 21, until the evening of Sunday, April 23.
The date of Eid Al-Fitr holiday 2023 in the Sultanate of Oman
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in the Sultanate is expected to start from Ramadan 29, corresponding to Friday, April 21, and continue until the third of Shawwal, corresponding to Monday, April 24.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Iraq
The Eid al-Fitr 2023 holiday in Iraq for employees in the public and private sectors is expected to start on Friday, April 21, and continue until Monday morning, April 24.
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in Bahrain
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in the Kingdom of Bahrain usually lasts for 3 consecutive days, so the Eid al-Fitr holiday is expected to start on the morning of Friday, April 21, and employees will return to work on the morning of Monday, April 24.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Yemen
The Yemeni government has not yet announced the date of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, but it is expected to start from the morning of Friday, April 21, and continue until the morning of Monday, April 24.
Eid Al Fitr Holiday 2023 in Jordan
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Jordan usually lasts for 3 days. Accordingly, the holiday is expected to start from the morning of Friday, April 21, to the morning of Monday, April 24.
A volunteer distributes sweets to children after Eid al-Fitr prayers in Amman, Jordan (Reuters-Archive)
Eid Al-Fitr Holiday 2023 in Palestine
The Palestinian Presidency of the Council of Ministers has set the Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in the public and private sectors, starting from Friday, April 21, to continue for 4 days for the government sector, i.e. ending on Monday, April 24. While the holiday lasts for 3 days for private sector employees, starting from Friday, April 21, until Sunday, 23 of it.
Eid Al Fitr Holiday 2023 in Lebanon
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Lebanon for this year 2023 is expected to run from Friday 21 April until the morning of Monday 24 April.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Syria
According to the schedule of official holidays in Syria, the Eid al-Fitr holiday starts from Friday, April 21, until Monday morning, April 24.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Tunisia
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Tunisia begins on Friday, April 21, and will continue until the evening of Sunday, April 23.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Morocco
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Morocco is expected to run from Ramadan 29 to Sunday 20 April.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Algeria
According to the official calendar and festive schedule in the Republic of Algeria, the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Algeria starts from Friday, April 21 to Saturday, April 22.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Libya
The Libyan authorities have not yet announced the date of the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday as of this writing, but according to the official calendar of holidays in this country, the Eid al-Fitr holiday is expected to begin on Friday, April 21 and end on Sunday, April 23.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Mauritania
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Mauritania is expected to begin on Friday (April 21st) and continue until Sunday evening (April 23rd).
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Somalia
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Somalia is expected to start on Friday morning (April 21st) and end on Sunday (April 23rd).
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in Sudan
The Eid al-Fitr holiday in Sudan starts from Friday, April 21, until Monday morning, April 24.
Eid Al Fitr holiday 2023 in Comoros
According to the national calendar of the Comoros, the Eid al-Fitr holiday in this country begins on Friday, April 21, until Sunday evening, April 23.
A man sells balloons to children outside a mosque where Eid al-Fitr prayers are held in Karachi, Pakistan (Reuters - Archive)
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Islamic countries
In Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Ghana and India, Eid is expected to be astronomical in these countries on Friday, April 21, and these countries usually give a 3-day vacation on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. Accordingly, the holiday begins on Friday and ends on the evening of Sunday, April 23, 2023.
Eid al-Fitr holiday 2023 in Turkey
According to the calendar of public holidays in Turkey, the Eid al-Fitr holiday begins in the middle (afternoon) on Thursday, April 20, until Sunday, April 22 of the same month. Because Sunday is a weekly holiday in the country, official working hours will resume normally on Monday, April 24.