The crescent moon marking the beginning of Ramadan 2023 was not sighted in any part of India, according to the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, meaning that the first day of fasting will be observed on Friday, March 24. Muslims follow the lunar-based Islamic calendar, which determines the start and end dates of Ramadan based on the sighting of the crescent moon. Typically, the crescent is first sighted in Saudi Arabia and some parts of India before being seen in other countries a day later. While the crescent was seen in Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, and other Muslim-majority nations on March 22, it was not visible in India, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries, where Ramadan will begin on March 24.
Taraweeh will begin after sunset on March 22 in countries where the crescent was sighted, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Indonesia, and Malaysia will observe the first fast on March 24, following the non-sighting of the crescent moon.
