RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, has announced that the month of Ramadan will begin on Thursday.
According to JEE News, the kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday evening that the Islamic calendar month of Sha’ban, which precedes Ramadan, will end on Wednesday, meaning Ramadan will begin the next day.
Officials told residents on Tuesday to try to spot the crescent moon that marks the start of Ramadan, but it was not visible, state media said. The official Crescent Setting Committee in neighboring Qatar also announced that Thursday was “the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan,” JEE News said on Twitter.
Fasting is strictly observed in Saudi Arabia, with restaurants closing until sunset after breaking the fast.
It is also the time of prayer, especially at night, when large numbers of believers gather in mosques.
The start date of Ramadan, the holiest Muslim month, is determined by both lunar calculations and physical sightings to determine the start of a new month.
