Ramadan 2022: Some UAE residents will begin their fast up to 20 minutes before others

The start and end of fasting time during the holy month of Ramadan will vary across the UAE, as determined by your location.

Depending on where you are, you could be beginning your fast up to 20 minutes before residents in other parts of the country during the holy month.

Timings of Imsak — the pre-dawn period that marks the beginning of the fast — and Iftar — which signals its end — depend on sunrise and sunset.

In the UAE, sun movement varies depending on whether you are in the eastern or western part of the country.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society, recently announced that the holy month is likely to begin on Saturday, April 2. It is expected to last for 30 days, with Eid Al Fitr likely to fall on Monday, May 2.

He explained how Iftar and Imsak timings would differ in separate parts of the country.

Khor Fakkan is the easternmost point of the country. Iftar and Imsak timings here would be about eight minutes ahead of the Capital city in Abu Dhabi. In Al Ghuwaifat and Al Sila, which are the westernmost points of the country, Iftar and Imsak would be about 12 minutes later than the Capital.

This means that the fast timings would differ by about 20 minutes between Khor Fakkan and Ghuwaifat.

At the start of the holy month, the dawn call for prayer (Fajr) will be given out at 4.48am in Khor Fakkan. In the Capital city in Abu Dhabi, it will be at 4.56am; and in Al Sila and Ghuwaifat, at 5:08am, Al Jarwan said.

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sahim@khaleejtimes.com