Saudi Arabia Urges Muslims to Participate in Live Moon Sighting for Ramadan 2024

Experience the Spiritual Quest: Saudi Arabia Urges Muslims to Participate in Live Moon Sighting for Ramadan 2024

The Ramadan crescent is typically first seen in Saudi Arabia, certain regions of India, and a few Western nations. The remainder of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other nations typically see it a day later. As the globe prepares to observe the first fast of Ramadan 2024 on Monday, March 11, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia are likely to see the crescent moon of Ramadan 2024 tonight, March 10, 2024.

Based on the observation of the crescent moon on March 11 evening after maghrib prayers, Ramadan may start in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian nations one day later, i.e., taraweeh from the evening of March 11 and first fast on March 12, Ramadan 1445 AH.

A traditional and fundamental part of the Islamic faith, the sighting of the moon before Ramadan, also known as Ramzan, Ramazan, or Ramzaan, marks the beginning of the month-long fast from sunrise to sunset, which is combined with acts of worship and charity. One of the five pillars of Islam is fasting, which involves refraining from eating, drinking, smoking, engaging in evil thoughts or deeds, and engaging in marital relations from sunrise to sunset.

The Islamic calendar's ninth month, Ramadan, lasts for 720 hours, or four weeks and two days. During this time, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, pray for guidance and peace, give alms to the community in the form of zakaat, or participate in charitable endeavours like feeding the hungry and reflecting to enlighten their souls. But because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the day of the fast varies every year and is determined by the crescent moon sighting.