Egyptians will celebrate Moulid El-Nabi, the birth of the Prophet Mohamed, on Wednesday 23 December, the chief of Egypt’s National Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Abul Ela Amin, said Wednesday.

Amin said that the sighting of the crescent by Dar El-Ifta on Friday could confirm that Saturday will be the first day of the third Islamic month, Rabei Al-Awwal, thus making the 12th of the month – the day the Prophet was born – Moulid El-Nabi.

He said that 2015 will have witnessed two markings of the Prophet’s birthday according to the Gregorian calendar, 3 January 2015 and 23 December of the same year.

The Islamic year is based on a lunar system with months lasting for 30 or 29 days, thus making the Islamic year shorter than years based on the Gregorian calendar.

The Prophet’s birthday is a holiday widely celebrated across Egypt and the Islamic world.

In Egypt, colourful displays cover the sides of sweet shops and bakeries, with sweet horses and dolls sold and consumed to commemorate the anniversary.