The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins on Monday with Muslims across the world observing annual obligatory fast from dawn to sunset.
After the new moon was sighted on Sunday, religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates announced that Ramadan begins on Monday.
Muslims in many other countries including Nigeria, Niger, Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq as well as in Sudan are also observing the fast from Monday.
However, in Jordan, Oman, Libya, Morocco and Iran, Ramadan will begin on Tuesday, as the new moon was not signed there on Sunday.
In Türkiye, the Religious Affairs Directorate relies on the sighting of the crescent new moon from anywhere in the world (ihtilaf-i metali) rather than its local sighting to determine both the start of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which directly follows Ramadan.
Gaza war
During Ramadan, Muslims normally abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex from dawn to sunset.
Throughout the fasting month, Muslims are urged to perform extra prayers, especially at night, recite the Quran, help the poor and refrain from committing misdeeds.
In his Ramadan message on Sunday evening, King Salman of Saudi Arabia noted that the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza would cast a shadow over the month of fasting and prayers.
He used the occasion to call for an end to the "heinous crimes" taking place in Gaza.
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