Ghana has confirmed the sighting of the crescent for the month of Shawwaal on Thursday evening, ending the month-long fasting of Ramadan and setting the stage for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr 2023.
The Hilal Committee of Ghana confirmed the sighting of the crescent in the Ashanti Region and forwarded its report to the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.
“The Hilal Committee of Ghana is happy to announce the sighting of the crescent for Shawwaal 1444 AH (20223 AD) at Truba, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana,” it said.
“Tomorrow marks the 1st Day of Shawwaal 1444 AH.” “Eid Mubarak to all Muslims, and may Allah accept our righteous deeds and forgive our departed souls.”
Eid al-Fitr, which means the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast”, marks the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan is a month-long holiday when Muslims fast, or go without food and drinks, during daylight.
However, the Office of the National Chiefs Imam has announced to celebrate Eid on Saturday at the Black Star Square.
Moon sighting refers to the traditional practice of Muslims observing the crescent or new moon to determine the start of an Islamic month.
Shawwal marks the end of a month-long fasting of Ramadan and the beginning of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival, where the sighting of the new moon is traditionally done with the naked eye or using telescopes. Once the sighting is confirmed, the news is usually broadcast via media outlets, mosques, and community organizations, but it’s important to note that the exact method of determining the start of the month of Shawwal may vary between different Muslim communities and countries.
The ninth month in the Islamic Lunar Calendar is Ramadan, and the tenth is Shawwal, whose first day is marked as the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr across the world.
While the West culturally follows the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar is lunar, which means it is based on the sighting of the crescent moon. Every year, Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr occur approximately 10–11 days earlier depending on when the crescent moon is sighted. This is because the lunar months are shorter than the solar months, and so it varies from country to country by about a day.
