Moon sighted at Bawku, 2023 Ramadan starts March 23 - Chief Imam

Muslims in Ghana will start the 2023 Ramadan fast on March 23, 2023 following the sighting of the new moon at Bawku in the Upper East Region.

The Office of the National Chief Imam issued a statement confirming that the moon had been sighted by a renowned cleric in the area who communicated same to the Bawku Chief Imam.

“By the report we received from Bawku, the source coming from the Bawku chief Imam, also getting the source from one very eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Kankanbore; the moon has been sighted at Bawku.

“This information has been well communicated… that information has been well authenticated and we have no reason to doubt it.

“On this grounds, by the Chief Imam’s mandate as the supreme leader of Muslims in this country, Muslims will begin fasting tomorrow, 23rd of March 2023,” the Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, said through his spokesperson.

How Ramadan start is determined:

Unlike the Gregorian calendar where days of a month are fixed, the Hijri/Islamic calendar depends on the sighting of the moon.

Each month ends with 29 or 30 days maximum. According to the Chief Imam's spokesperson, today is 29th Sha'ban (the month preceding Ramadan) but the sighting of the moon means the birth of a new month.

If the moon wasn't sighted, the 30th (final) day of Sha'ban will be observed on 23rd March and with Ramadan kicking off the next day (March 24) without fail.

Ramadan is a period of one full month that the faithful undertake a dawn-dusk fasting which primarily entails abstinence from food, drink, marital intimacy and any such prohibitions as instructed by Allah (God).

Saudi Arabia employs the use of technology in looking out for the new moon. They are a reference point for many Muslims across the world in terms of starting the fast.

Over in Nigeria, the leader of the Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto Sheikh Sa’ad Abubakar has also declared the start of Ramadan following the sighting of he moon, same is the case with countries including Niger and Kenya.

Main pointers to note about Ramadan

Ramadan is a period during which period the prophet Muhammad says the doors of hell are firmly sealed and the doors to heaven are wide open.

Islamic history has it that the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan.

The fasting day starts with a pre-dawn meal called suhoor and ends with a meal called iftaar.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is compulsory for all Muslims except those who are exempted – among others the terminally ill, travelers, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating.

Many pilgrims from around the world travel to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah for Umrah during Ramadan. Umrah is known as the lesser Hajj, a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time of the year.

Muslims are encouraged to avoid gossip, arguments and fighting while they observe self-restraint, self-control and self-discipline during the month.

They are also encouraged to engage in more charity work while they fast to bring them closer to God and remind them of the suffering of the less fortunate.

The common greetings during the month is “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem”, wishing the recipient a “blessed” and generous Ramadan.

At the end of the 29 or 30 days of fasting, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr which literally means “festival of breaking the fast” in Arabic.

On the day, Muslims attend a special prayer in the morning at outdoor locations or mosques. The prayer consists of a sermon followed by the short congregational prayer.

After the prayer, they visit friends and relatives, give gifts especially to children, and make phone calls to distant relatives to exchange greetings of “Eid Mubarak” or “Blessed Eid”.

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