Friday, Saudi Arabia announced that the crescent of the new lunar month marking the beginning of the sacred month of Ramadan in the kingdom.
The inhabitants of Saudi Arabia will observe their first fast tomorrow (Saturday).
Saudi Arabia is generally the first country to see the moon for Islamic months, followed by other Arab countries, the Middle East and the West and in certain parts of India.
The Muslim world welcomes Ramadan with religious zeal and fervor. More than a billion believers will fast during the month to practice patience and self-control while promoting charity and well-being.
Islamic months last 29 or 30 days and the beginning or the end of a month depends on the appearance of Crescent, so Ramadan is not fixed by a specific day per year.
The month of Ramadan is the ninth of the 12 months of the Islamic calendar. Despite as many months as the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar is almost 10 days shorter due to the base of the lunar orbit.
This is why Ramadan falls at a different time each year depending on the Gregorian calendar.
