Rabat - Monday June 6 marks the first day of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Jordan, according to the International Astronomical Center.
Rabat – Monday June 6 marks the first day of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Jordan, according to the International Astronomical Center.
According to the same source while Turkey relied on astronomical calculations to decide the first day of the holy month, other countries, especially in the Gulf relied on the traditional sighting of the moon with naked eyes.
Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, Director of the International Astronomical Center, said earlier that Muslim countries would observe the crescent on Sunday evening.
He said that the crescent would be visible after sunset, adding that it would be possible to sight the crescent by means of a telescope.
He went to add that it would be possible to see the crescent with naked eye only in parts of America, and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Saudi Arabia announced earlier today that the holy of month of Ramadan would start on Monday.
The announcement was made after Saudi Arabia’s moon sighting committee’s meeting on Sunday at 7 pm to witness the crescent for the month of Ramadan.
Muslims in France will also start fasting on Monday. The new was confirmed by Anwar Kbibech, President of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), according to RTL.
Meanwhile, Oman and Brunei announced that the crescent of the month could not be sighted, adding that Ramadan will begin on Tuesday.
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Egypt are expected to announce the first day of Ramadan within the next two hours.
Fasting in Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. During this month, Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking and having sexual relationships from sunrise to sunset.
This is also the month of piety and devotion. Muslims are not only supposed to refrain from eating or drinking, but also to relinquish all kinds of selfish desires and wrong-doings.
The rationale behind fasting is to allow believers to develop their power of self-control and self-restraint and make them feel the hunger and thirst that poor people around the world experience throughout the year.
The feeling of hunger and thirst is meant to make believers feel thankful for all the blessings of life that they take for granted, and push them to become generous with those who are deprived of those blessings.
