So… when does Ramadan start?

Ramadan is one of those moving holidays, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. This means that, for example, while Ramadan was from April 2nd – May 1st in 2022, this year it runs from March 22nd to April 20th.

Ramadan, in most nations, is expected to begin on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, after the sighting of the moon over Mecca. The fasting period ends upon the sighting of the next new moon, which occurs after 29 or 30 days. This means that Ramadan will likely end on the evening of Thursday, April 20th or Friday, April 21st, 2023, and Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated the following day.

The month of Ramadan always occurs is the ninth lunar month and begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations. The exact time of Ramadan sometimes varies from place to place as some rely heavily on the moon sightings while others depend on a proclamation from a Muslim leader or a scientific calculation.

In many places, an Imam (Muslim holy man) will declare the exact time of Ramadan just prior to its commencement with local Muslims waiting to hear his decree before the holiday officially kicks off.

So – how does this affect the 30 Days of Prayer start date?

We recommend you start praying on or around March 22nd to keep things simple. Follow the dates ion the PDF prayer guide or the daily prayer posts here at pray30days.org/pray/2023. Or search out the dates from your local Muslim community and follow their locally observed dates.

Either way, thank you for praying for Muslims this year!