Muslim nations announce begin of Ramadan on Monday

Issued on: 10/03/2024 – 20:25Modified: 10/03/2024 – 20:27

3 min

Saudi Arabia, which is house to Islam’s holiest websites, stated by its official SPA information company on Sunday that the Supreme Court docket had introduced “Monday, March 11, 2024, the start of the blessed month of Ramadan for this yr”.

Ramadan is likely one of the 5 pillars of Islam.

After the sighting of the crescent moon, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar additionally introduced a Monday begin for Ramadan, by their very own official information shops.

Egypt’s Islamic advisory physique the Dar al-Ifta additionally confirmed Ramadan would start on Monday, as it’ll within the Palestinian Territories together with Gaza.

Iran had earlier set the start of Ramadan for Tuesday after its “Estehlal” moon statement workplace stated it had not been attainable to look at “the crescent of Ramadan”.

In Saudi Arabia, the beginning of the holy month had been solid into doubt after a few of the kingdom’s observatories reported that the moon was obscured by “cloudy climate and mud particles”.

However closing affirmation of the sighting got here by the Al Majmaah College Astronomical Observatory in Riyadh.

As he introduced Tuesday as the beginning of Ramadan in Jordan, the dominion’s Grand Mufti Ahmed Hasnat requested God to “relieve the anguish of our oppressed individuals in Gaza” and “elevate affliction and aggression from them”.

Oman and Libya may even mark the primary day of Ramadan on Tuesday.

‘Utterly totally different’

Throughout Ramadan, observant Muslims chorus from consuming and ingesting from daybreak to nightfall, and historically collect with household and associates to interrupt their quick within the night.

It’s also a time of prayer, when the devoted converge in giant numbers at mosques, particularly at night time.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip has solid an extended shadow over festivities within the area, with hopes dashed {that a} ceasefire settlement could possibly be reached earlier than Ramadan started.

At a market in Rafah, the southern Gaza metropolis the place practically 1.5 million individuals have sought refuge, Palestinians on Sunday bemoaned meals shortages and wartime uncertainty hanging over the holy month.

“In fact, this Ramadan is totally totally different from all of the Ramadans which have gone earlier than it,” stated Bassel Yassin, an agricultural engineer.

Hassuna Tabib Hassnan, a dentist displaced from Gaza Metropolis within the north, stated he did not understand how the month will finish — “in our houses, in a tent, by the ocean within the north or within the south.”

Hassnan added: “We had hoped that for Ramadan (we) could be in our houses, however sadly it’s clear that we’ll stay in displacement, ache and oppression.”

The conflict was triggered by the October 7 assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel which resulted in about 1,160 deaths, largely civilians, in line with an AFP tally based mostly on official Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza, geared toward destroying Hamas, has killed a minimum of 31,045 Palestinians, largely ladies and youngsters, in line with the well being ministry within the Hamas-ruled territory.

The United Nations has warned that famine within the Palestinian territory is “nearly inevitable” until one thing adjustments within the conflict, with help trickling in at ranges far under the pre-war norm.

Procuring at a Riyadh mall, Saudi authorities worker Faisal, who most well-liked to present solely his first title due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated it was “the worst Ramadan I’ve ever skilled in my life.”

The person, in his fifties, added: “I really feel ashamed as I store for meat and rooster for my household, whereas the individuals of Gaza are in famine.”  

(AFP)