Ramadan moon sighted in Saudi Arabia; people in SA, other Arab & Middle Eastern countries to observe their first fast tomorrow
RIYADH/PESHAWAR, March 10 (SABAH): Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced sighting the crescent of the new lunar month marking the beginning of holy Ramadan in the kingdom.
People in Saudi Arabia and other Arab and Middle Eastern countries will observe their first fast tomorrow (Monday).
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.
Meanwhile Maulana Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad will preside over a meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee tomorrow evening (Monday) in Peshawar before sighting the Ramadan moon.
Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Azad has requested all Pakistanis to sight the crescent, wishing that the holy month began on the same day throughout the country. If the moon is sighted, the holy month will begin from Tuesday.
Meanwhile, meetings of other zonal and district Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will be held simultaneously at their respective places on Shaban 29 after Asr prayers, for the Ramadan moon sighting of Hijri year 1445.
The Ramadan moon was expected to be born at 2:00 PM on Sunday and it could be sighted the next day, when its age would be more than 28 hours, as per the Met Office.
The holy month, which is observed with religious fervour and zeal, will see millions of Pakistanis along with billions of Muslims around the world observing fast from dawn till sunset with the fasting hours falling between 12 to 17 hours — depending on the geographical locations across the globe.
Like many other countries, Ramadan, in Pakistan, is marked by increased charity and public food drives with the people establishing roadside stalls for people returning to their homes in the evening.
The month, usually, also witnesses increased business activities due to religious festivities as well as shopping trends in the run-up to Eid ul Fitr.