Saudis start Ramadan on Saturday, Egyptians on Sunday

DUBAI, Sep 22 (Reuters) Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, will start the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan tomorrow along with most fellow Gulf Arab states, state media reported today.

Senior religious councils in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said the crescent moon was sighted after nightfall, signalling the start of Ramadan.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, and Oman said they would mark the start of Ramadan on Sunday.

Libya earlier announced that Ramadan would begin tomorrow and the state news agency quoted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi late yesterday as suggesting that Muslims should take their cue from ''Libya's correct Islam''.

''People in Arab and Muslim countries are turning to Libya to know when Ramadan begins and ends because Libya is the state that observes the correct Islam without sects,'' said Gaddafi, quoted by Jana.

In Egypt, the office of the mufti, the country's senior exponent of Islamic law, said eyewitnesses failed to detect the new moon tonight which would have identified tomorrow as the first day of the month in the lunar Islamic calendar.

The timing of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn until dusk, can vary in different Muslim countries depending on the sighting of the new moon.

Businesses and offices reduce opening hours during the day and often open in the evenings.

Reuters DKS VP0255