Ramadan to Begin on Feb 18 in Saudi Arabia, Gulf States
News Desk
Riyadh: The Ramadan crescent was sighted in Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries on Tuesday evening, confirming that the holy month will begin on Wednesday, February 18, with the first day of fasting.
The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia officially announced the commencement of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH following verified reports of moon sighting.
Other Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, also confirmed that fasting will begin on February 18 after their respective moon-sighting committees validated the crescent’s visibility.
According to Gulf News, the UAE’s Presidential Court stated that the official moon-sighting committee had verified the crescent, declaring Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/how-geography-shapes-ramadan-fasting-hours/
However, several countries reported that the crescent was not sighted on Tuesday. These include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Japan, Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.
In these countries, the month of Shaban will complete 30 days on February 18, and the first fast will be observed on February 19.
Meanwhile, moon-sighting committees in Pakistan, Iran, India and Bangladesh are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 18, as Tuesday marks the 28th of Shaban in those countries.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed by more than a billion Muslims worldwide with fasting from dawn to sunset, emphasizing patience, self-discipline and generosity.
Since the Islamic calendar is lunar and approximately 10 days shorter than the Gregorian year, the beginning and end of Ramadan depend on the sighting of the crescent moon and shift annually across the Gregorian calendar.
