The first week of the holy month of Ramadan has already passed. Today, March 30, is the eighth day of Ramadan and marks the beginning of the second week of the holy month.
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The UAE transitioned into the spring season just before the holy month began. This translates into shorter fasting hours for those abstaining from food and drinks from dawn to dusk.
The first week of the month saw Muslims fast for around 13 hours and 45 minutes daily. During the second week, the fasting duration will increase to cross 14 hours.
Fasting hours will gradually increase throughout the month as the time to begin the fast (Imsak) and end it (Iftar) is directly connected to when the sun rises and sets, respectively.
On Ramadan 8 (March 30), the call for the Fajr (dawn) prayer will be given at 4.55am. Muslims typically stop eating at Imsak time - which is about 10 minutes before the Fajr call for prayer. Imsak is at 4.45am, while Iftar is at 6.38pm. Fasting duration, therefore, would be 13 hours and 53 minutes.
Here is how the rest of the week will pan out:
By the time the holy month ends, the fasting hours would have increased to nearly 14-and-a-half hours.
Astronomical calculations suggest that the holy month this year would last for 29 days. On Ramadan 29, Imsak is at 4.21am, and Iftar at 6.47pm. The fasting duration, therefore, is 14 hours and 26 minutes.
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Sahim Salim
As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team o...