Saudi authorities have rejected reports that the Gulf country will allow restaurants to serve food to foreigners and tourists during fasting hours in the holy month of Ramadan.
The news comes after a letter attributed to the council made the rounds on social media earlier this week, causing uproar among Saudis.
According to the letter, food facilities are allowed to serve meals during Ramadan fasting hours.
The letter also urged restaurants to install curtains and covers to serve food during the day in Ramadan.
But the council rejected the news, saying the letter was not “authentic” and that any such information would be directly published on the council’s official platforms.
Saudi Arabia allows restaurants to open during Ramadan only to serve takeaway food a few hours before breakfast, or the iftar meal, many Saudi outlets reported.
Ramadan is expected to start on April 2 in Saudi Arabia. Like other Muslim-majority countries, however, the Gulf country is yet to confirm the official date of Ramadan through moon sighting.
Ramadan is one of the holiest months in Islam, and its observances requires Mulsmins to fast — refraining from food, drink, and sexual activity — from sunrise to sunset everyday. Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days.
