Muscat: Astronomical calculations show that the crescent of the month of Shawwal for this year will be difficult to spot on the evening of the 29th day of Ramadan in most of the Sultanate of Oman’s governorates and Arab and Islamic countries of the world, so it is likely that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will fall on Saturday corresponding to April 22, 2023.
According to the astronomical calculations made by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MERA) regarding the sighting of the crescent of the month of Shawwal 1444, the crescent will set about 21 minutes after sunset (in Muscat Governorate) and will be at a height of about 4 degrees above the western horizon of the Sultanate’s sky.
We will not be able to see the crescent on Thursday, April 20,2023, therefore Friday, April 21 will most probably complete the month of Ramadan. Hence the first day of Eid al-Fitr and the beginning of the holy month of Shawwal for the Hijri year 1444 is most likely to be on Saturday, April 22, 2023.