Pakistan, KSA mark beginning of Ramazan together for the first time in six years
The holy Quran was recited to holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the month of Ramazan
(Web Desk) – Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Thursday marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan together for the first time in the six years.
In Saudi Arabia, Ramazan crescent was also not sighted on Tuesday therefore, the holy month will begin in Pakistan and Gulf countries on a same day.
Millions of Muslims across the world are marking the first day of holy month of Ramazan. Scores of Islamic faithful usually commemorate the month-long period with dawn-to-dusk fasting and prayers.
Almost all Middle East Muslim nations have declared Monday (6 June) as the start of Ramadan as the moon was spotted on Sunday, 5 June. While some countries use the sighting of the moon crescent, others rely on astronomical calculations to determine the beginning of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar – which has either 354 or 355 days in a year. So, every year the month begins 11 days earlier than the previous year. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan and Palestinian territories have all said that Ramadan would commence on Monday.
The holy Quran was recited to holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the month of Ramazan. Fasting during the entire month is one of the five tenets of Islam.
The start date is set by both lunar calculations and physical sightings which determine when the last day of one lunar month ends and a new one begins.
Traditionally, many Muslim-majority countries have followed the dates set by Saudi religious authorities, but in recent years many have used their own astronomical calculations.
Ramazan is a holy month for the world’s nearly 1.5 billion Muslims, many of whom practise the ritual of dawn-to-dusk fasting and prayers. Tradition holds that it was during Ramazan that the holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) started receiving revelations of the Muslim holy book, the Quran. It is one of the five "pillars" of Islam.
