By Shivan Tuhirirwe,
RAMADAN
Over 1.8 billion muslims world over will start to observe the holy month of Ramadan effective tomorrow, Monday 12 March, 2024 after the crescent moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam on Sunday.
The sacred month, which sees those observing abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset, marks a period of religious reflection, family get-togethers and giving across the Muslim world. Seeing the moon Sunday night means Monday is the first day of the fast.
Saudi state television reported authorities there saw the crescent moon. Soon after, multiple Gulf Arab nations, as well as Iraq and Syria, followed the announcement to confirm they as well would start fasting on Monday. Leaders also shared messages of congratulations the month had begun.
Some Asia-Pacific countries like Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, have however announced they will begin Ramadan on Tuesday after failing to see the crescent moon.
Oman, on the easternmost edge of the Arabian Peninsula, similarly announced Ramadan would begin Tuesday. Jordan and Iran will also begin Ramadan on Tuesday.
Speaking shortly after the sighting of the moon, Saudi King Salman expressed displeasure to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza strip which is happening in the same period of the sacred month of Ramadan.
“As it pains us that the month of Ramadan falls this year, in light of the attacks our brothers in Palestine are suffering from, we stress the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities, to stop these brutal crimes, and provide safe humanitarian and relief corridors,” the king said.
In Saudi Arabia, the kingdom had been urging the public to watch the skies from Sunday night in preparation for the sighting of the crescent moon. Ramadan works on a lunar calendar and moon-sighting methodologies often vary between countries, meaning some nations declare the start of the month earlier or later. Many Sunni-dominated nations in the Middle East follow the lead of Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and its cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day.
In Iran, which views itself as the worldwide leader of Islam’s minority Shiites, authorities typically begin Ramadan a day after Sunnis start. Already, the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced Ramadan will start on Tuesday, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
