Exactly 30 days remain until the holy month of Ramadan begins in the UAE. According to astronomical calculations, Sha'ban - which precedes Ramadan in the Islamic Hijri calendar - began today.

According to the website of the UAE's General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the first day of Sha'ban falls on February 21.

An official announcement on whether the crescent moon was spotted on Monday evening is yet to be made. The crescent moon signals the start of an Islamic calendar month.

Islamic calendar months last either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent moon is sighted. As per astronomical calculations, Sha’ban is expected to last 30 days, with the holy month of Ramadan likely to begin on March 23. Residents are likely to get 29 days of fasting, with the first day of Eid Al Fitr likely to be on Friday, April 21.

Residents typically use the month of Shaban to prepare their bodies for dawn-to-dusk Ramadan fasting.

Ramadan traditions in the UAE begin in mid-Sha’aban. During a local Emirati festival called Haq Al Layla, children dress in their best clothes and go around houses in the neighbourhood, reciting songs and poems. The neighbours welcome them with sweets and other delicacies. The festival aims to teach children the act of giving and being a part of a community.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is the holiest in the year for Muslims. This was the month when the holy Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

There are 354 days in the Islamic Hijri calendar. As a result, the holy month arrives 11 days earlier every year than on the Gregorian calendar. This year, residents will fast during the spring season in the UAE. Around 14 hours a day, Muslims in the country abstain from food and drink