441 hrs of fasting this Ramadan

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Ramadan this year will last for a period of 30 days or 720 hours, during which Bahrainis will observe 432 to 441 hours of fasting, said a top astronomer.

Astronomer researcher Ali Al-Hajri said the first day of Ramadan is most likely to fall on 13 April 2021 as per the astronomical calendar. “Based on moon sighting, the first day, most likely, will be on 14 April 2021.”

He added: “Bahrainis will have the shortest fasting period at the beginning of the month and the longest towards the end.” Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires Muslims to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. “Sunni community will have 432 hours and 56 minutes of fasting and 287 hours and 4 minutes for Iftar, while for Shia community this will be 441 hours and 12 minutes, and 278 hours and 48 minutes, respectively,” explained Al Hajri.

For the most part, Sunnis and Shias observe Ramadan the same way, but there are some differences.

For one, Sunnis break their fast at sunset, once the sun is no longer visible, but there is still light in the sky.

However, for Shias, they wait to break after it gets completely dark. “So, the Sunni community, at the beginning of the month, will have 14 hours and 3 minutes of fasting and 9 hours and 57 minutes for Iftar.

These calculations change by the end of the holy month, where the fasting period will be 14 hours and 47 minutes, and Iftar will be 9 hours and 13 minutes.” For the Shia community, the fasting period, at the beginning of the holy month, will be 14 hours and 20 minutes. Iftar will be 9 hours and 40 minutes.

Towards the end of the month, the fasting period increases to 15 hours and 4 minutes, and Iftar to 8 hours and 56 minutes.