Ramadan start date to be announced this Tuesday
In anticipation of Ramadan, the UAE’s Minister of Justice has ordered the establishment of a moon sighting committee that will declare the start date of the Holy Month.
The committee is set to meet after the Maghrib prayer on Tuesday, May 15. Should the crescent be spotted, it will mean that the first day of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, May 16.
Previously, Sharjah's Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences predicted that Ramadan in the UAE is expected to start on Thursday, May 17.
Respecting Ramadan: a guide for non-Muslims
The sacred month falls on the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar as this is when the Holy Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Holy Month will end when the first crescent of the new moon is sighted again, marking Eid Al Fitr.
During this month, healthy Muslims across the globe fast from sunset to sundown, refrain from expressing negative thoughts or words about others, and give back to the less fortunate.
Under Article 65 of the UAE Labour Law, working hours are reduced by two hours for Muslims and non-Muslim employees during Ramadan regardless of whether it is indoor or outdoor work. Salaries remain unchanged during the Holy Month.
The only exception to this are those who work in DIFC as it governed by a different law, which states that shorter working hours will only be available to those who fast.
"During the Holy month of Ramadan, an employee who observes the fast shall not be required to work in excess of six hours a day. There shall be no reduction in compensation as a result,” the DIFC labour law reads.
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