The short answer
The first day of Ramadan 2022 / 1443H is very likely Saturday, April 2, 2022, insha'Allah.
Why do you say the first day of Ramadan is “likely”?
Muslims have traditionally begun the start of Ramadan (and each of the 12 Islamic lunar months) by sighting, with the naked eye, the lunar crescent in the western horizon shortly after sunset, where, if it is visible, remains so only for minutes until it quickly sets.
The actual crescent sighting may or may not be visible by eyesight. In addition, a lunar month fluctuates between 29 and 30 days. If the moon is not so sighted, in this method of lunar month determination, on either day, then the new month commences after the 30th day of the previous lunar month. No lunar month can extend beyond 30 days.
Muslims, especially in the west, have increasingly come to rely on calculation of when the Ramadan new crescent would likely be visible with the eye. The most popular method of calculation takes into account the recorded history (time, etc.) of the earliest new moon sightings, along with the astronomical data that enables one to know when those normally likely moonsighting times can occur.
The astronomical data includes (1) the birth of the new moon, which is quite precise but never visible; (2) the age of the new moon at the time of sunset and moonrise in different parts of the world, which increases from east to west; and (3) the resultant measurable elongation of the crescent; and (4) the angle of the moon’s elevation above the horizon.
Will there be disagreement on the starting date of Ramadan 2022 / 1443H between those who go by moonsighting and those go by calculate?
Disagreement this year is very unlikely, alhamdulillah.
What is the astronomical crescent data for Ramadan 2022 / 1443H ?
According to moonsighting.com, the astronomical new moon occurs on Friday, April 1, 2022 at 6:24 Universal Time.
“On that day, everywhere in North and South America at sunset the elongation is at least 8 degrees, and the moon is at least 5 degrees above the sun.
These measures strongly indicate that the first fasting day of Ramadan 2022 / 1443 begins Saturday, April 2, 2022, insha'Allah.
When will the congregational tarâwîh prayers for Ramadan 2022 / 1443H start?
In the divine measure of a day in Islam, and thus for Muslims, the new day begins at sunset. Therefore, the actual beginning of the month of Ramadan 2022 / 1433H will occur after Friday, 1 April’s sunset, which means that tarâwîh salah will commence after Salât Al-‘Ishâ’ on that day.
Is there a special supplication on seeing Ramadan’s crescent?
There is no particular du’a, or supplication, for seeing the Ramadan new moon itself, but there is a prayer the Prophet, on him be peace, reportedly uttered upon seeing the crescents of any Islamic new month.
O Allah! Crescent it over us with blessing, and faith, and security, and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is Allah” (Tirmidhi, No. 3451, graded sahih, authentic)
“Allahhumma! Ahillahu ‘alayna bi’l-yumni, wa’l-imân, wa’l-salâmah, wa’l-Islam. Rabbî wa Rabbuk’Allah.”
