Saudi Arabia to observe today as first day of Ramadan
ISLAMABAD, May 7: Ramadan will commence in Pakistan from Tuesday, April 7 as the new moon of the Islamic holy month was not sighted throughout the country on Sunday.
The decision was made at a meeting of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, under the chairmanship of Mufti Munibur Rehman, convened in Karachi for the sighting of the Ramadan moon.
According to reports, officials in the provincial capitals across the country also met at the zonal and district sessions of the committee.
Meanwhile, the holy month will commence in Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries from Monday (tomorrow) as the new moon of the Ramadan crescent was not sighted in the region on Saturday, Arab News reported.
Earlier, Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council’s Secretary-General Aijaz Khalid Mufti had said, “The new moon will not show up until it is 19 hours of age and the difference between sunset and moonrise is 40 minutes. Therefore, the moon’s distance from the earth should be at an angle of six degrees and of the moon to the sun should be 10 degrees.”
Reports emerging from Saudi Arabia suggest that Monday (May 6) will be the first of Ramadan as Ramadan moon sighted in the country on Sunday evening.-Agencies/NNI