The International Astronomy Center, based in Abu Dhabi, stated that some countries began the month of Sha'ban on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, and these countries will observe the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan on Tuesday, March 21, while many other countries began the month of Sha'ban on Wednesday, February 22, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania. These countries will observe the crescent of Ramadan on Wednesday, March 22, corresponding to the twenty-ninth of the month of Sha'ban in them.

Director of the center Muhammad Shukkat Odeh said in a statement on the official website of the center: "As for the countries that will observe the crescent on Tuesday, March 21, its sighting on that day is impossible due to the moon setting before the sun and the conjunction happening after sunset, and thus these countries will complete the month of Sha'ban 30 days, so Thursday, March 23 will be the first day of Ramadan in them."

He continued saying: "As for the countries that will observe the crescent on Wednesday, March 22, the sighting of the crescent on that day is possible using telescopes from the east of the world, while it is possible with the naked eye with difficulty from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Southern Africa, and it is relatively easy with the naked eye from West Asia, most of Africa, Western Europe, and the Americas," confirming that it is expected that most of these countries will announce the sighting of the crescent on that day, so Thursday, March 23 will also be the first day of Ramadan in them, and it is not excluded that India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan will announce that the crescent sighting was not confirmed on Wednesday, so Friday, March 24 will be the first day of Ramadan in those countries.