Saudi Arabia has announced today that the holy month of Ramadan will commence tomorrow, Monday, March 11, after the Ramadan crescent moon was sighted in the Kingdom.
Following Saudi Arabia’s announcement, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also declared Monday as the first day of Ramadan, according to Emirati state news agency WAM.
Qatar similarly declared tomorrow, Monday as the first day of Ramadan.
Muslims follow a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days. Sighting a crescent moon heralds the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
The starting date of the dawn-dusk fasting month is determined by both lunar calculations and physical sightings of a new moon.
Ramadan is observed by more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and is considered a month of fasting and spirituality.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all healthy Muslims. However, young children, sick individuals, travelers, and women who are pregnant, nursing or menstruating are exempt.
Muslims have followed the tradition of looking for the crescent moon for thousands of years to determine the start of Ramadan as well as the two major holidays in Islam, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Background on Ramadan moon sighting
Saudi Arabi is usually the first country to sight the moon for Islamic months, which is followed by other Arab, Middle Eastern and Western countries and some parts of India.
Countries such as Pakistan, rest of India, Bangladesh and other Asian countries mark the beginning of the holy month a day later.
The Muslim world welcomes Ramadan with religious zeal and fervour. Over a billion believers will fast during Ramadan to practice patience and self-control while also promoting charity and welfare.
The Islamic months last 29 or 30 days and the beginning or end of a month depends on the appearance of crescent, so Ramadan is not set on any specific day annually.
The month of Ramadan is the ninth of the 12 months of the Islamic calendar. Despite having as many months as the Gregorian calender, the Islamic calender is nearly 10 days shorter due to be based on the lunar orbit.
This is why Ramadan falls at a different time every year according to the Gregorian calendar.
