Ramadan 2021: Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, is likely to start in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries this year on Tuesday April 13, 2021 if the new moon is sighted on Monday April 12, 2021 corresponding to 29th of Sha’ban 1442.
On the other hand, Muslims in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and other Middle East countries will sight the new moon on Sunday April 11, 2021 to decide the beginning of the Ramadan.
A new month in the Islamic Calendar begins with sighting of the crescent – the new moon, on the 29th day of an on-going month.
If the moon is sighted on 29th, the new month starts the next day. Otherwise, the next day is counted as the 30th day of the on-going month and the next day is the first day of the new month.
If the new moon is sighted in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the holy of fasting will begin in the Kingdom on Monday April 12, 2021. Else, it will start on Tuesday April 13, 2021.
The Arab states including Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all expected to follow Saudi Arabia’s sighting of the new moon.
Other countries have independent sightings. But Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco and Syria are also likely to begin fasting with Saudi Arabia while countries further east and west will commence as the moon is sighted.
On the other hand, Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and other South Asian countries will sight the moon on Monday April 12. If the new moon is sighted on Monday, Ramadan in these countries will start from Tuesday April 13, 2021. Else, the holy month in the South Asian countries will start from Wednesday April 14, 2021.
Most of the observers in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries based on their calculations are of the view that Ramadan in the Kingdom and other Arab States will start on Tuesday April 13, 2021.
Hence, if the moon is sighted in India or Pakistan on Monday April 12, Muslims in South Asia will get the rare chance of beginning the holy month of fasting with fellow Muslims in the Middle East and other parts of the world.
But, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Science and Technology, is of the view that the holy month of Ramadan is likely to commence in the South Asian country from April 14.
The minister tweeted that the Ramadan crescent would most likely be visible on April 13 in Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and other Pakistani cities.
All these speculations and views notwithstanding, the sighting of the new moon on 29th of month is established tradition of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him).
Hence Muslims would and should rely only on sighting of the new moon to start Ramadan and other months in the Islamic Calendar.
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 Muslims in the Arab states.
The Holy Month of fasting Ramadan for the second consecutive year is falling amid the Coronavirus outbreak. It means like the previous year, this year too Muslims will observe the holy month amid restrictions and night curfews.
Like previous few years, Ramadan in 2021 too 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, Saudi Arabia has imposed travel ban and suspended all international flights. Hence foreign travellers will not be able to perform Umrah during the Ramadan for the second consecutive year. Local Muslims will however be allowed to perform Umrah if they are vaccinated and have obtained the Umrah permit from the concerned authorities.
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