Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia Declares Saturday First Day of Ramadan

People sight the Ramadan crescent moon. (Majmaah University)

Saudi Arabia declared on Friday that Saturday was the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

"Tomorrow, Saturday, will be the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan," the Kingdom said Friday, in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE also announced the Saturday start of Ramadan.

The starting date of the dawn-dusk fasting month of Ramadan is determined by both lunar calculations and physical sightings of a new moon.

On the occasion, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz said Ramadan was an opportunity to shun disputes.

Delivering a message on his behalf, acting Media Minister Dr. Majid al-Qasabi said: "God has blessed us with Ramadan after the coronavirus pandemic is on the decline."

"We thank God in the great success we achieved in combating the pandemic and its impact," he added.

He stressed that the Kingdom is honored in welcoming the Umrah and Hajj pilgrims after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.