Ramadan 2020 Moon Announcement Saudi Royal Court Live Update: The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and Religious Affairs Ministry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said that Ramadan will begin on Friday April 24, 2020.
Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states have also announced that Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan.
"Tomorrow, Friday, April 24, 2020 will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan", the Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Qatar announced today.
Thursday April 23, 04:00 pm The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and religious authorities in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman and other Arab states will meet today after Maghrib salah to decide the start of Ramadan - the Muslim holy month of fasting.
An announcement in this regard is expected by 07:30 pm Makkah time. Hence keep visiting this page for the latest update.
Wednesday April 22, 11:30 pm (Makkah Time): Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Gulf states will decide on Thursday April 23 the first day of Ramadan 2020, latest reports said.
Today is 29th of Shaban in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, and as per tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the new moon should be sighted today. However, authorities said since the arrival of the month of Shaban on 29th Rajab could not be confirmed. Hence it is decided to sight the Ramadan 2020 moon on Thursday.
"Given that the arrival of the month of Shaaban was not verified on Rajab 29, the committee called on all Muslims to sight Ramadan Crescent on Thursday night, Shaaban 30 of 1441 AH, corresponding to April 23, 2020", the Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Qatar said in a statement.
It implies that the first day of Ramadan 2020 in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Arab states will not be Thursday.
06:00 pm (Makkah Time): A key announcement about the first day of Ramadan 2020 in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and other Arab states is expected shortly.
There is also some confusion because of some reports that Saudi Supreme Court will sit on Thursday to decide the first day of Ramadan 2020. This despite the fact that today is 29th Shaban 1441H, and as per the tradition of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), the new moon is seen on the 29th day of the ongoing month.
Hence keep visiting this page for the latest update.
03:45 pm (Makkah Time): The first day of Ramadan 2020 - either Thursday or Friday, in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states will be decided today evening.
10:45 am (Makkah Time): Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has issued appeals to Muslims in the Kingdom and around to sight the crescent, the Ramadan Moon today i.e. Wednesday April 22, 2020 corresponding to 29th Shaban 1441H.
Besides the Saudi Royal Court, appeals to sight the Ramadan 2020 moon have also been issued by ministeries and moon sighting committees in United Arab Emirate (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Palestine, Muscat, Egypt, Turkey and other Middle East states.
In a request to all Muslims, Saudi Supreme Court said, “Whoever sights the crescent 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 center in his area where he sighted the crescent to facilitate his reaching to the nearest court."
The Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Qatar and Ministry of Religious Affairs UAE also appealed to the people in Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and around to sight the Ramadan 2020 moon today i.e. Wednesday April 22, 2020 which corresponds to 29th of Shaban 1441H.
"In the event of not receiving any testimonies about sighting of the Ramadan crescent Wednesday evening, the 30 days of Shaban will be completed on Thursday and the fasting month will begin on Friday. This is in line with the tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him)", the Saudi Supreme Court said.
Announcements about the moon sighting by the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Supreme Court are usually made after Isha prayer (08.45 pm UAE time; 04.45 pm GMT) after receiving and confirming evidences of moon sightings from different parts of the countries. However, Saudi Arabia is one-hour behind the UAE.
The beginning of Ramadan has traditionally been based on “hilal” sightings, which is the traditional method mentioned in the Quran and followed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
A new month in the Islamic Calendar begins with sighting of moon on 29th of the prevailing month. If the new moon, Crescent, is sighted, the next day is counted as first day of the new month. If not, the next day is counted as 30th day of the prevailing month and the new month begins a day later.
The month of Shaban began in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries on Wednesday March 25, 2020. Accordingly, the crescent or the new moon of the Holy Month of Ramadan will be sighted today i.e. April 22, 2020 corresponding to 29th Shaban 1441 H.
If the new moon is sighted on April 22, the Holy month of fasting will begin on Thursday April 23, 2020. In case the new moon is not sighted on April 22, then Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states will begin on Friday April 24, 2020.
In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries, the new moon of the month of Ramadan, also called in the region as Ramzan, will be sighted on Friday April 24, 2020 corresponding to 29th of Shaban 1441 AH in these countries. If the new moon is sighted on April 24, 2020 then the Holy month of fasting will begin on Saturday April 25, 2020.
In case the new moon is not sighted on April 24 then Ramadan in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries will begin on Sunday April 26, 2020.
Most of the countries in other parts of the world including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France rely on moon sighting reports of Saudi Arabia. Hence they start fasting along with the people in the Arab states.
Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and other nearby countries sight the moon on 29th of Shaban and accordingly decide the first day of Ramadan.
The Holy Month of fasting Ramadan this year is falling amid the Coronavirus outbreak which has taken into its grip more than 130 countries. As many as 2.5 million people worldwide have been affected and more than 170,000 people have died because of the new virus which was first detected in China's Wuhan.
Like previous few years, in 2020 too Ramadan will share the hot summer when temperature reaches a maximum of 44-48 degrees in the Indian subcontinent and a maximum of 48-55 degrees in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. This is also the period when the days are longest.
Muslims around the world observe fast and refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during the 30 days of Ramadan. Since the days are longest in this season, Muslims fast from 17 hours in some region to as many as 23 hours in some others.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five tenants of Islam and is compulsory on every adult men and women. It is not mandatory on children. Yet a huge majority of children observe fast along with their parents and other family members despite scorching heat.
Ramadan is also known as the month of Quran and also as the month of charity. Hence, while observing dawn to dusk fast, Muslims all over the world recite Quran. Special prayers called as Taraweeh are also organized in mosques. Taraweeh is performed in addition to the daily prayers of five times. Millions of rupees are also donated during the month of Ramadan which is later used for different charity works and feeding poor.
Umrah is another hallmark feature of Ramadan. However, due to coronavirus outbreak, Umrah during Ramadan 2020 will not be possible as Saudi Arabia has imposed travel ban and suspended all international flights. The Kingdom and other Arab states have also called upon their citizens to offer obligatory and Traweeh prayers at home.
Traweeh prayers in the two holy mosques - the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid e Nabawi (the Prophet's mosque) in Madinah will be held in congregation - but with reduced attendance.
Most of other countries in the world too are under lockdown. Daily and Friday prayers are also suspended in all these countries that are affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19). Against this backdrop, it will be interesting to see how Muslims will adjust to Ramadan fasting under lockdown and Coronavirus fear.
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