Makkah/Dubai: Meetings of the Ramadan moon sighting committees of the UAE and Saudi Arabia are underway in the two countries. The meetings began after Maghrib prayer in the two Gulf countries.
An official announcement is expected after 9pm UAE time (5pm GMT).
Earlier, the moon sighting committees had appealed Muslims to report sighting of the moon to the authorities concerned.
The Supreme Court of Saudi Arbaia in a special appeal called on all Muslims in the Kingdom to sight the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan on Friday evening, 29 Sha'ban 1435.
Most of the Arab, European, American and Canadian Muslims start the holy month with Saudi Arabia.
The Supreme Court requested in its announcement whoever sees the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan by the naked eyes or binoculars to report to the nearest court and register his testimony, or report to the nearest center to facilitate his reaching of the court.
The Supreme Court also urged all Muslims to sight the Crescent for the cooperation of all in righteousness and piety.
A number of reports have predicted that the holy month of Ramadan will begin from Sunday, June 29.
Sharjah Planetarium said on June 19 that the start of the Holy month of Ramadan will fall on Sunday, June 29, 2014.
The crescent of the month of Ramadan 1435 AH born Friday, June 27th, 2014 at 12 o'clock and 8 minutes (local time) to the UAE and the sun sets on this day at 7 and 12 minutes and Wester Moon before sunset three minutes and at sunset the Age of Moon 7 hours and 4 minutes and its location under the western horizon and therefore impossible degree vision, Sharjah Planetarium had said.
A global Ramadan fasting map released by the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre showed the average fasting hours during Ramadan, which starts towards the end of June, are as long as 15 hours in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
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