Clerics declare start of Ramadan tomorrow
Egypt’s leading Islamic clerics declared that Ramadan will start tomorrow, beginning four weeks of dawn-to-dusk fasting for millions of Muslims.
The clerics of Al-Azhar, the foremost Islamic theological college in the Sunni Muslim world, said the new moon was spotted today, meaning the fast will begin at daybreak tomorrow.
The leading clerics in many Arab states in the Middle East were believed to be watching for the new moon tonight.
Countries substantially east of Egypt will see the moon a night later.
During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sex from dawn to dusk.
Muslims believe it was during Ramadan about 1,400 years ago that the Koran, their holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
In Saudi Arabia, the US Embassy has urged Americans to be “particularly vigilant” for terrorist attacks during Ramadan.
“It is the Embassy’s assessment that terrorist groups may place special operational significance on the upcoming month of Ramadan,” the US Embassy said in a warden message posted on its web site.
The Saudi government has warned western residents they must not eat, drink and smoke in public during Ramadan.
The Interior Ministry said penalties would be imposed on any non-Muslim who violates the ban in shops, streets or places of work.
Punishment could range from the termination of one’s work contract to deportation.
“Being a non-Muslim is no excuse … deterrent measures will be taken against violators,” the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
There are an estimated two million non-Muslim foreigners living in Saudi Arabia, which has a population of about 19 million.
