Many of the more than 1.8 billion Muslims around the world have begun fasting for the holy month of Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia and most other Middle Eastern states welcomed the start of Ramadan later on Friday after a crescent moon was spotted in the kingdom, home to two sacred places of Islam.
“The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Saturday, is the first day of the month. [Ramadan],” the official Saudi Arabian news agency was posted on X on Friday.
Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia announced that they would also start the daytime quickly on Saturday and start the daytime quickly in the Palestinian war-torn Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Lebanese Sunni Muslims also began fasting on Saturday.
The offices of Iran’s highest leader Ali Khamenei and Iraq’s top Shiite clergyman Ali al-Sistani have declared Sunday as the first day of Ramadan.
Morocco will also begin observing daytime speeds starting Sunday, the Islamic Ministry said.
Pakistan and India are expected to see the moon on Saturday evening, with fasting expected to continue on Sunday.
And in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, began Ramadan on Saturday, while neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines will be celebrating the month on Sunday.
Fasting Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring that followers refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex during the day. Observer Muslims are also encouraged to donate to the poor.
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