Wednesday, March 22, 2023: this is the date from which we base ourselves for the beginning of Ramadan 2023 or 1444 in the Hijri year. Allahu a’lam (And Allah is the most learned)
As every year, there will be a night of doubt during which the moon will be observed to declare or not the beginning of the month of Ramadan, and this night will be the night of Tuesday, March 21 to Wednesday, March 22, i.e. the night of Shaaban 29 to 30 Shaaban (or 1st Ramadan, depending on whether or not the new moon appears).
Indeed, the beginning of the month of Ramadan will be marked by the new moon, the Islamic calendar being a lunar calendar, unlike the Gregorian calendar that we know.
Ramadan is one of the twelve lunar months, but the month of Ramadan has a special character, unlike other lunar months.
It is not a holy month in Islam unlike the month of Dhul-Hijja or Dhul Qi’da, but the month of Ramadan is a month in which Allah has ordered all Muslims to fast.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan 2023, like all the months of Ramadan, is a pillar of Islam. The fast of the month of Ramadan is the 4th pillar of Islam after the attestation of faith, prayer, and zakat, and before the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an obligation for all pubescent Muslims and consists of abstaining from eating, sexual intercourse and any other carnal pleasures, abstaining from watching or doing haram things, and getting up until sunset.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan is an obligation, and by practicing it, the Muslim conforms to the law of Allah.
More info: how to convert to islam
Like all Ramadan’s, it is by observing the moon on the evening of 29 Chaban, the penultimate day of the month before Ramadan.
This is called the night of doubt. This is the unanimously recognized method for delimiting the beginning of the month of Ramadan.
Indeed, the lunar months have either 29 or 30 days, depending on the appearance of the new moon.
This year, the night of doubt will take place from the evening of Tuesday, March 21 to Wednesday, March 22. So, Ramadan will take place either on Wednesday, March 22 or Thursday, March 23.
The end of Ramadan 2023 will be marked by Eid al Fitr, April 21, 2023, Insh Allah.
Again, the end of the month of Ramadan 2023 will be done by sighting the moon on the night of Ramadan 29 to 30.
According to the calculations, it will be around the end of Ramadan, or Eid el Fitr will take place on April 21, 2023.
There is a hadith, certainly weak in its chain of transmission, but whose du’a’ is a blessing according to the scholars of the sunnah:
“Lord, bless us the months of Rajab and Sha’ban and allow us to reach Ramadan”
Sheikh Abdul Karim Al-Khudayr (may Allah protect him) was questioned in these terms: “Is this hadith authentic?”
Here is his response: “This hadith is not verified. However, if a Muslim asks Allah the Mighty and Majestic to enable him to reach Ramadan and to assist him in fasting it and spending his nights in prayers to fall on the night of Destiny, or employs any invocation, there would be no inconvenience, please Allah.”
Al-Hafez ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
[“Mu ‘li ibn al-Fadhil said:
“They (the first generations of Muslims) used to ask Allah to enable them to reach Ramadan six months before the advent of this month and were already asking that Allah Most High be pleased with them.”
Excerpt from Lataif al-Maarif, p.148.]
We too must prepare ourselves and the first thing to do are invocations to be able to achieve this, but not only.
Sheikh Saadi (Rahimullah) said: “If you ask Allah to make you reach the month of Ramadan, do not forget to ask Him to bless you with it because the important thing is not so much to reach the month of Ramadan but rather: What are the works that you will do during this month?!”
Yahya ibn Abi Kathir said:
“One of their supplications was to say: Lord, bring me, Ramadan! Allow Ramadan to take hold of me and Ramadan take hold of me and accept it from me.”
Repeat often:
“Allahuma ballighna Ramadan, wa barika lana fih, wa takabalhu minna”
“Lord, bring me to Ramadan! Allow Ramadan to seize me and Ramadan to seize me and accept it from me!”
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