Ayatollah Sistani Declares Sunday First Day of Ramadan
The office said the sighting of the crescent moon of Ramadan was not confirmed for Ayatollah Sistani on the evening of Friday, so Saturday will be the last day of the lunar Hijri month of Shaaban in Iraq and the surrounding areas.
Therefore, in these regions, the Ramadan of 1446 Hijri will begin on the following day, Sunday, March 2, it said.
Muslims in a number of other countries, including Iran, will also begin the month of fasting on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Saturday is the first day of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth and most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, in which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
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During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, refraining from eating, drinking, and smoking.
They also devote more time to prayer, charity and good deeds, seeking to strengthen their faith and purify their souls.
Some religious scholars rely on astronomical calculations to determine the beginning of lunar months while most of them believe visual sighting of the moon should be used in this case.
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