Ramadan Moonsighting in Saudi Arabia 2021: Ramaḍān, in Islam is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon.
To declare the beginning of Ramadan, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim-majority countries depend on the testimonies of local moon sighters.
Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are all expected to follow Saudi Arabia’s sighting of the new moon.
Ramadan 2021 in Saudi Arabia: Date
Ramadan, which is determined by the sighting of the new moon, is likely to be Tuesday, April 13.
The actual visibility of the crescent will depend on factors such as atmospheric conditions, cloudiness, and the distance between the sun and the moon on the horizon.
Why is Ramadan the holiest month in Islam?
For Muslims, Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, were revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.
Throughout the month, observing Muslims fast from just before the sunrise, or Fajr, prayer to the sunset prayer, Maghrib.
The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations to achieve greater “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca if physically and financially capable.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr. In Arabic, it means “festival of breaking the fast”.
Depending on the actual start date of Ramadan and the new moon sighting on the 29th night of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr this year is likely to fall on May 12.
