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| Monday, 27 October 2003 |
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Muslims in Middle East identify start of Ramadan DUBAI, Sunday (Reuters) Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and other Gulf Arab states will start the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on Monday, regional state media reported. In Egypt, Ramadan will begin on Sunday, an Egyptian religious official said on state television. Senior religious councils in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said the moon's crescent had not been sighted after nightfall on Saturday, and so Sunday would be the last day of the month preceding Ramadan. Ali Gomaa, Egypt's official Mufti responsible for issuing religious opinions, said Ramadan would begin on Sunday, after the new moon was sighted there. Yemen, located at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, said it would mark the start of Ramadan on Sunday. Ramadan is calculated according to the lunar calendar and begins on the first day after the sighting of the new moon. Fasting in Ramadan - avoiding all food, drink, smoking and sexual relations from dawn to sunset - is a religious requirement for all Muslims who are physically able and is one of the "five pillars" of Islam. Business tends to slow down during the daytime in Ramadan, but shops and restaurants remain open until after midnight. The Egyptian stock market earlier said in a statement that the official bourse trading hours during Ramadan would be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (0930 GMT to 1130 GMT), ending two hours earlier than the usual close of 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT). Egypt is known for its extensive celebrations during Ramadan. |
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