Arab, Islamic countries announce different Ramadan start dates
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Several Arab and Islamic countries have announced different start dates for Ramadan, splitting the start day between Saturday and Sunday.
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Holiday lights decorate a doorway near the Dome of the Rock Mosque in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound ahead of the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 (AP)
Several Arab and Islamic countries have announced that Ramadan will begin on Saturday, while others have declared Sunday as the first day of the holy month.
Countries confirming Saturday as the start of Ramadan include Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, and Indonesia.
In Iraq, the Sunni Endowment Office also declared Saturday as the first day of fasting. However, the office of Shia religious authority Ali al-Sistani in Najaf stated that the crescent moon was not sighted, setting Sunday as the start of Ramadan.
Similarly, in Iran, the office of Leader Ali Khamenei announced that Sunday would mark the beginning of the holy month.
In Lebanon, the Supreme Islamic Shia Council also declared Sunday as the start of Ramadan, aligning with Malaysia and Brunei, which made the same announcement.
