DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Authorities in Saudi Arabia, dwelling to Islam’s holiest web site, witnessed a crescent moon on Sunday night time, marking the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for most of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims.
This holy month marks a interval of spiritual reflection, household gatherings, and giving to the Islamic world, with observers abstaining from meals and water from dawn to sundown. Seeing the moon on Sunday night time implies that Monday is the primary day of fasting. In Dallas, Texas, and throughout the United States, Ramadan begins at sundown on March tenth and ends on Tuesday, April ninth.
Related: Ramadan customs helped us develop friendships and resilience
Leaders shared messages celebrating the beginning of the month.
However, some Asia-Pacific nations reminiscent of Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore is not going to see the crescent moon and Ramadan will start on Tuesday. Oman, on the japanese tip of the Arabian Peninsula, equally introduced that Ramadan would start on Tuesday. Ramadan additionally begins on Tuesday in Jordan.
This yr’s Ramadan comes because the Middle East continues to rage as a result of warfare between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip. This has raised considerations that the battle may trigger unrest far past the borders of the present warfare.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia particularly pointed to the Israel-Hamas warfare in his remarks to the nation after declaring Ramadan.
“While it’s heartbreaking that the month of Ramadan has handed this yr, given the assaults our Palestinian brethren have suffered, we imagine that the worldwide group has a duty to cease these heinous crimes and guarantee security. “We emphasize the necessity to present humanitarian help and reduction corridors,” the King stated.
US President Joe Biden additionally acknowledged the beginning of the holy month, saying, “Jill and I ship our greatest needs and prayers to Muslims in our nation and all over the world,” but additionally turned his consideration to the Gaza battle.
Staff use telescopes to look the sky for the brand new moon, which marks the beginning of Islam’s holy fasting month of Ramadan, on the North Sumatra Muhammadiyah University Observatory in Medan, Indonesia, on Sunday, March 10, 2024. People on this planet’s most populous Islamic nation start Ramadan, the holiest month within the Islamic calendar, on March twelfth. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)(Binsar Bakkara / ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“As Muslims collect from all over the world to interrupt their quick over the approaching days and weeks, the struggling of the Palestinian individuals will likely be on the minds of many. It is on my thoughts.” Biden stated.
Meanwhile, the world continues to be in a pinch as inflation and meals costs soar because the pandemic started.
Saudi Arabia has urged individuals to observe the sky beginning Sunday night time in preparation for sightings of a crescent moon. Ramadan is noticed in response to the lunar calendar, and the strategy of moon viewing usually differs from nation to nation, which implies some nations declare the beginning of the month earlier and others later.
But many Sunni-majority nations within the Middle East are following Saudi Arabia, dwelling to Mecca and its cube-shaped Kaaba, the place Muslims pray 5 occasions a day.
“Ramadan this yr coincides with Nowruz,” stated Robabeh Hodkame, a resident of Tehran, referring to the Persian New Year, which begins on March 20. “For Nowruz, there’s a custom of totally cleansing the home and making all the things look new.” This yr can be Ramadan, so I want to cleanse my thoughts and make a recent begin. ”
In Iraq and Lebanon, solely Sunnis begin fasting on Monday, whereas Shiites begin fasting on Tuesday.
During Ramadan, observers normally break their quick by consuming dates and consuming water, in response to traditions set by the Prophet Muhammad. Afterwards, get pleasure from ‘iftar’, a big meal. They eat a pre-dawn meal, or ‘suhoor’, to keep up their power throughout the day.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The moon cycles by the seasons and months of the Gregorian calendar.
Muslims attempt to keep away from battle and give attention to charity throughout the holy month. But the warfare in Gaza is looming over this yr’s Ramadan for a lot of Muslims.
The warfare started on October 7 with a Hamas assault on Israel, killing about 1,200 individuals and taking 250 hostages. Israel has responded with a fierce warfare focusing on the Gaza Strip, during which greater than 30,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed and the seaside enclave below heavy siege, reducing off energy, meals and water. did.
Scenes of Palestinians praying in entrance of bombed-out mosques or chasing meals flown in from overseas proceed to anger individuals within the Middle East and all over the world. The United States is pressuring Israel, which depends on American navy tools and support, to permit extra meals in as Ramadan begins. It can be planning a sea hall with different companions.
The warfare and Israeli restrictions on Muslims praying at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest web site, may additional gasoline the militants’ anger. This web site is also referred to as the Temple Mount, the holiest web site for Jews. Ramadan begins on Monday within the Palestinian Authority.
The Islamic State, which as soon as claimed to be a caliphate throughout Iraq and Syria, has additionally launched assaults round Ramadan. Although now splintered, the group is making an attempt to make use of the Israel-Hamas warfare to lift its profile.
Despite efforts for a Ramadan ceasefire, warfare continues to rage throughout Sudan.
Associated Press faith protection receives funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and is supported by a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Conversation US. AP is solely accountable for this content material.