Ramadan starts on Thursday, March 23, 2023

The Holy Islamic month of Ramadan will start on Thursday, March 23, the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta has said.

Bangsamoro Deputy Mufti Abdulrauf Guialani made the announcement on Tuesday night after receiving reports from moon-sighting committees across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Guialani said the moon was not sighted on Tuesday night, signifying that fasting for the Holy Month of Ramadan shall begin on Thursday, March 23.

The Holy Islamic month calls for spiritual reflection through praying, fasting, and abstaining from sinful behavior.

Ramadan will with the Eid'l Fitr holiday.

"Accordingly, the date of the start of Ramadhan varies in different areas or regions, as the Hadith of Allah’s Messenger says, 'Fast when you see it (the crescent of Ramadan) and break the fast when you see it (the crescent of Shawwal)'," the Bangsamoro Information Officsaid.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, it added.

Muslims during Ramadan abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn until sunset. It is also a time for self-discipline, spiritual reflection, and acts of charity.

"The Darul Ifta encourages all Muslims in BARMM to observe Ramadan in accordance with Islamic teachings, and to use the holy month as an opportunity to deepen their faith, increase their acts of charity, and seek forgiveness from Allah," the information office said. —NB, GMA Integrated News