Final Up to date: March 10, 2024, 23:07 IST
Decorations adorn the streets of the Iraqi southern metropolis of Basra forward of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, on March 10, 2024. (AFP Picture)
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE announce the beginning of Ramadan amidst Gaza struggle. Muslims worldwide put together for fasting and prayers throughout this holy month
Ramadan will start on Monday, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE introduced, with the Muslim holy fasting month happening in opposition to a backdrop of devastating struggle in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia, which is dwelling to Islam’s holiest websites, mentioned by its official SPA information company on Sunday that the Supreme Courtroom had introduced “Monday, March 11, 2024, the start of the blessed month of Ramadan for this yr”.
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar additionally introduced the beginning date for Ramadan by their very own official information retailers after the sighting of the crescent moon. Earlier, Iran had set the start of Ramadan for Tuesday after its “Estehlal” or moon statement workplace mentioned it had not been doable to look at “the crescent of Ramadan”.
In Saudi Arabia, the beginning of the holy month had been forged into doubt after a few of the kingdom’s observatories reported that the moon was obscured by “cloudy climate and mud particles”. However last affirmation of the sighting was given by the Al Majmaah College Astronomical Observatory in Riyadh. The daytime fasting month of Ramadan is without doubt one of the 5 pillars of Islam.
Observant Muslims chorus from consuming and ingesting from daybreak to nightfall, and historically collect with household and associates to interrupt their quick within the night. It is usually a time of prayers, with the trustworthy converging in giant numbers at mosques, particularly at night time.
The struggle between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip has forged an extended shadow over festivities within the area, with hopes dashed {that a} ceasefire settlement may very well be reached earlier than the beginning of Ramadan.
The struggle was triggered by the October 7 assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel which resulted in about 1,160 deaths, largely civilians, in keeping with an AFP tally primarily based on official Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza, aimed toward destroying Hamas, has killed not less than 31,045 Palestinians, largely girls and youngsters, in keeping with the well being ministry within the Hamas-ruled territory.
The United Nations has warned that famine within the Palestinian territory is “virtually inevitable” until one thing modifications within the struggle, with support trickling in at ranges far beneath the pre-war norm.
