The office of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared Saturday as the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement posted on its website on Friday, the Leader’s office announced that the new crescent moon of Ramadan could not be sighted on Thursday night in Iran.
Therefore, the statement said, the new lunar month of Ramadan will begin on Saturday, when Muslim people start fasting.
While Iran, Iraq and Oman, among others, have declared Saturday as the first day of Ramadan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Malaysia, Egypt, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia announced Friday as the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
This year, Muslims around the world are starting to observe Ramadan rituals under the coronavirus lockdown with unprecedented bans on family gatherings and mass prayers.
This year, the daytime fasting month will be a somber affair for many across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
Widespread rules have been imposed, banning prayers in mosques or allowing relatives and friends to gather for large fast-breaking meals at dusk.
