A Muslim during daily prayer at the start of the month-long Ramadan at the Jafar Hasan Ismail Masjid Muslim Islamic Center in Legazpi City, Albay, on April 24, 2020. (File photo by MARK ALVIC ESPLANA / Inquirer Southern Luzon).
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao del Norte, Philippines — The holy month of Ramadan will officially start on Thursday, March 23.
This was announced on Tuesday night by Abdulrauf Guialani, Bangsamoro Jurist (Deputy Mufti) and officer in charge of the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta (House of Opinion) — the top Muslim religious leader in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
On Monday, the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta, headed by Bangsamoro Mufti Abuhuraira A. Udasan, assigned groups to do moonsighting on Tuesday evening.
“They (the groups) have performed what they were assigned to do, and then finally, the result of the moonsighting is that the crescent moon has not been sighted,” Guialani said.
“Based on this, the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta has decided that the beginning of Ramadan will be on Thursday, 23rd of March, 2023.”
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is one of the most sacred times for Muslims.
For 30 days, Muslims will observe a strict daily fast from dawn until sunset. They will refrain from eating or drinking water during these daylight hours and spend more time in prayers.
The Muslim faithful are encouraged to study the Quran, hold prayer, and do fasting during this month.