Photo by Mahmoud Elmazaty / The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar Calendar House announced that Tuesday, April 29, will mark the astronomical beginning of the month of Dhul-Qi'dah 1446 AH, while Monday, April 28, will be the completion of the month of Shawwal, according to precise astronomical calculations conducted by the House's experts.
Executive Director of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ansari Complex, Engineer Faisal Al Ansari, stated that the crescent of Dhul-Qi'dah 1446 AH will be born on Sunday, April 27 (the day of observation), at 10:32 PM Doha local time (7:32 PM UTC).
Al Ansari added that since the crescent will not be born before sunset on Sunday, it would be impossible to sight the Dhul-Qi'dah crescent that evening over Qatar or most Arab and Islamic countries.
It is a well-established astronomical fact that the moon's movement around Earth determines the beginnings and endings of lunar (Hijri) months, while the Earth's movement around the sun determines the beginnings and endings of solar (Gregorian) months.
