UPDATE 3 – Several Arab, Islamic countries to welcome Ramadan on Wednesday, others a day later

UPDATES WITH MORE COUNTRIES, REVISES HEADLINE

By Rania Abushamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Several Arab and Islamic countries will welcome the holy month of Ramadan on Wednesday, while others will start fasting a day later.

Saudi Arabia said that the new moon of Ramadan was sighted Tuesday evening and that fasting will start on Wednesday.

Religious authorities in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Palestine, Sudan, Somalia and Djibiouti said Wednesday will be the first day of Ramadan.

Iraq’s Sunni Endowment Diwan also announced that Ramadan will be observed on Wednesday. Iraqi Shiites will also celebrate the start of the fasting month on Wednesday.

Yemen’s Houthi group also said that Ramadan fasting will start in areas under its control on Wednesday.

Ramadan will also start for Sunni Muslims in Lebanon on Wednesday, according to Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian.

Meanwhile, Egypt will observe the holy month of Ramadan on Thursday, as the new moon was not sighted on Tuesday evening, according to the country’s mufti, Nazir Ayyad.

Religious authorities in Jordan, Syria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Tunisia and Malaysia also announced the start of the holy month on Thursday.

Muslims in Türkiye, Oman, Singapore and Australia will begin fasting in Ramadan on Thursday, after authorities confirmed the start of the holy month based on astronomical calculations.

Morocco will sight the moon of Ramadan on Wednesday to determine the start of the fasting month.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

While some countries rely on local moon sighting, others increasingly use astronomical calculations to determine the start of the month, particularly when scientific data confirms the impossibility of visual observation.