Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on all Muslims throughout the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan on Tuesday evening, state news agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
The Supreme Court has requested that anyone who sights the crescent moon, whether with naked eyes or through binoculars, should report to the nearest court and register their testimony, or contact the nearest relevant department to guide them to the nearest court.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which consists of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days. The sighting of the crescent moon heralds the start of Ramadan.
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More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will observe the month, during which they abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and having marital relations from dawn until sunset. They also try to avoid evil thoughts and deeds. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Ramadan is considered sacred to Muslims because tradition says that the Holy Quran was revealed to their Prophet Mohammed during that month.
According to astronomical calculations, Ramadan is expected to begin on Thursday, March 23, in some Arab countries. The International Astronomical Centre has stated that the crescent of Ramadan will be visible on Wednesday, March 22, and therefore Thursday, March 23, will be the first day of Ramadan in some Arab countries. Meanwhile, the Emirates Astronomical Society has predicted that Ramadan 2023 will begin on March 23, with the first day of Eid Al Fitr falling on Friday, April 21.
