Ramadan kicks off in some of Middle East, with Indonesia ‘to begin observing Sunday’
- Muslim holy month, with fasting from dawn to dusk, began at sunrise on Saturday in nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates
- Many in other countries, including Indonesia, Jordan, plan to start celebrating day later after Islamic astronomers failed to spot the new moon
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk, began at sunrise on Saturday in much of the Middle East, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent energy and food prices soaring.
The conflict cast a pall over the holiday, when large gatherings over meals and family celebrations are a tradition. Many in the Southeast Asian nation of Indonesia planned to start observing on Sunday and some Shiites in Lebanon, Iran and Iraq were also marking the start of Ramadan a day later.
Muslims follow a lunar calendar and a moon-sighting methodology can lead to different countries declaring the start of Ramadan a day or two apart.
Muslim-majority nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and the United Arab Emirates had declared the holiday would begin on Saturday morning.
A Saudi statement Friday was broadcast on the kingdom’s state-run Saudi TV and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates, congratulated Muslims on Ramadan’s arrival.