Longest fasting hours to be observed next week

Dubai: Residents next week will be faced with the longest day of the year, which means during that time, the number of hours fasting will also be the longest.  

The longest fasting hours will be in the middle of the month from June 16 to 22 – falling from the 11th to 17th day of Ramadan, said an expert in astronomy.

Ebrahim Al Jarwan, General Supervisor at Sharjah Planetarium, said: “On the longest day of the year, residents will fast for 15 hours and 18 minutes.”

The year’s longest day will fall on Tuesday June 21, which is the official start of summer in the UAE, where residents can also expect hot and humid conditions to continue.

The sun will rise at 4.10am and set at 7.15pm in Dubai. Sunrise and sunset has a time difference of a few minutes in cities across the UAE.

Known as the summer solstice, this phenomenon occurs when the Earth’s North Pole points right at the sun. At this time of the year, people living in the north of the Arctic Circle will see the sun all day and night, while those in Antarctica will not see the sun at all.

Al Jarwan explained that Ramadan is also likely to be 30 days long, according to his astronomical calculations, “and Eid Al Fitr will possibly fall on Wednesday, July 6.”

The Hijri calendar spans either 29 or 30 days, depending on the moon sighting.

He pointed out that UAE residents will be faced with the longest fasting period between the years 2012 and 2018, while also having to withstand high levels of heat and humidity.

“Since 2012, the number of daylight hours gradually increased at an average rate of 10 minutes per year, with the longest hours having been recorded in 2014,” said Al Jarwan.  

Residents of the eastern coast of the country will be the first to break and start their fast, while those living at the western region and the emirate of Abu Dhabi will be the last.