Ramadan begins, On Monday
Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta, the authority responsible for issuing religious edicts, announced on Sunday that the Islamic holy month of Ramadan of the Hijri year 1445 will start on Monday, 11 March.
Shortly after sunset today, Dar Al-Ifta announced that Sunday would be the last day in the month of Sha’ban after the sighting of the crescent following Maghreb prayers.
Saudi Arabia, home to the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina, has also announced on Sunday that Ramadan would begin on Monday.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Hijri (Islamic) Calendar, a lunar calendar in which the beginning and end of each month depend on the movements of the moon. Each month is marked by observing a new moon for the first time.
Last week, the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) announced that according to astronomical calculations, the Islamic holy month would begin on 11 March and would last 30 days.
Muslims worldwide hold the month of Ramadan in high esteem as the month during which the Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
They fast from dawn to sunset and give more attention to religious duties such as praying, reciting the Quran, and giving alms.
Egyptians celebrate the holy month by preparing delicious meals and inviting family, friends, and loved ones for Iftar.
