RIYADH: Saudi Arabians were urged to sight crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan on Sunday evening today.
The Supreme Court also called on whoever sees the Crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan by naked eyes or through binoculars to report to the nearest court and register his testimony, or report to the authority of the region’s centre in his area where he sighted the Crescent in order to facilitate his reaching to the nearest court, Emirates247 reported.
A committee will also meet today after Maghrib prayers at the judicial department in Abu Dhabi.
The moon sighting committees of the UAE and Saudi Arabia will meet on Sunday, June 5 (Shaban 29, Hijri calendar), to witness the Crescent for the month of Ramadan.
The committees will meet around sunset time at 7pm and the announcement is expected around 9pm after collecting all the evidences from different corners of the country.
According to Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, Director, International Astronomical Center, Islamic countries would observe the Crescent on Sunday evening. He said the moon would be out after sunset and it would be possible to sight the Crescent using a telescope. However, it would be possible to see the Crescent with naked eye only in parts of America, and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, he added.
Odeh expected most Islamic countries to begin Ramadan on Monday. He added that in the Islamic countries that rely on sighting the moon with the naked eye, will begin fasting on Tuesday.
According to astronomical calculations, Monday is the first of Ramadan 1437 Hijri, and fasting will complete 30 days later on 1 Shawwal (Eid), Wednesday, July 6.
