Ramadan moon sighting: Crescent moon likely to be sighted this evening

New Delhi, May 05: Muslims in Saudi Arabia will look for the crescent moon this evening. The sighting of the moon will mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan 2019 or Ramzan.

Depending on the moon sighting, fasting for Ramadan or Ramzan month will start in the country.

In case the crescent moon is sighted today, Taraweeh or the special Ramadan prayers will begin from today in Saudi Arabia post the Isha namaz and the first fast will be observed tomorrow.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the crescent has not been sighted in any part of the world. The western hemisphere, including the Gulf, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas will begin Ramadan fasts from Monday, May 6. The dates in eastern hemisphere, including Muslim populated regions of Asia, will either begin Ramadan on Monday or Tuesday, depending on the sighting of crescent moon tomorrow.

The Hilal Committees, charged with the sighting of moon on final day of lunar calendar month, will be on lookout today for the Ramadan crescent.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar followed by the West, the Islamic calendar is lunar that is, based on the moon. Since lunar months are shorter than solar months, Muslims holy month of Ramadan, which takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic year, occurs approximately 11 days earlier every year depending on when the moon is sighted and hence, varying from country to country by about a day.