Ramadan & Eid could occur twice in same year

ISLAMABAD: Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan once a year and Eid al-Fitr once, but every 32 or 33 years, an unusual situation arises when this holy month and festival come twice in the same Gregorian year.

At present, Muslims around the world are waiting for the arrival of Ramadan, which is now less than a month and a half away. Under normal circumstances, Ramadan comes once a year and Eid al-Fitr is celebrated once at the end of it, but due to the difference between the Islamic lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar, this unique occasion comes up every few decades.

According to experts, in just three years, i.e. in 2030, Muslims around the world will welcome the month of Ramadan twice in the same Gregorian year. Similarly, in 2033, Muslims will also celebrate their religious festival Eid al-Fitr twice in a year.

The main reason for this is that a year in the Gregorian calendar consists of 365 days, while every fourth year in a leap year this period becomes 366 days.

In contrast, according to the Islamic lunar calendar, a year is usually 354 or 355 days long, which is about 10 to 11 days less than the Gregorian calendar. This difference brings Ramadan and Eid forward in the Gregorian calendar each year, and eventually, after 32 or 33 years, there is a difference of a full year.

The last time Ramadan came twice in the same year was in 1997, while Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr twice in 2000.

Astronomers say that the first Ramadan in 2030 will likely begin on January 5, while the second Ramadan in the same year may begin around December 26.

Ramadan in January will consist of 29 or 30 days, while about 6 fasts will be observed in December, so there will be a total of 35 or 36 fasts this year.

Similarly, Eid-ul-Fitr in 2033 will likely be celebrated for the first time on January 2 or 3 and for the second time on December 23 or 24.

Meanwhile, the start of Ramadan this year is likely to be between February 17 or 18, however, the final announcement of the start of Ramadan in each country will be made only after the decision of the local Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

Experts remind that although the start of Ramadan can be estimated through astronomical calculations, its final date is determined by the sighting of the moon.

In many Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, human observation is relied on to see the moon, while some countries base their methods on the scientific method.