Indonesian muslims gather for breaking their fast on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. -- AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim
JAKARTA (dpa): It will a very important weekend for many muslims from Saturday (March 1).
The fasting month of Ramadan began from Saturday for hundreds of millions of Muslims. And many other countries inluding Malaysia and Singapore will begin their fasting month from Sunday (March 2)
In Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, March 1 was declared the first day of fasting.
The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon, which can vary by country. In Iran, where Shia Islam is the state religion and the second-largest branch of Islam, Ramadan begins on Sunday.
During Ramadan, devout Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity from dawn until sunset each day.
In the evenings, people traditionally gather for a meal to break their fast, known as iftar.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the fundamental religious duties for Muslims.
After the fasting month, the multi-day celebration of Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei), also known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," follows.
There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, with the majority living in Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In the Arab world, Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s two holiest cities: Mecca and Medina.
This year, the start of Ramadan coincides with the expiration of the first phase of a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily paused the 15-month-long war between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Images showed residents shopping and preparing for Ramadan amid the ruins of the largely destroyed coastal strip.
Ramadan is considered a time of heightened tensions, particularly in the occupied Palestinian Territories and Jerusalem.
Hamas has called on its supporters to increase their presence at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan. The mosque is regarded as Islam’s third holiest site after the al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
In Syria, the fasting month also began, marking the first Ramadan after decades of rule by the al-Assad clan in the war-torn country.
In the capital Damascus and nationwide, people experienced an unprecedented rush on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
For the first time in 50 years, experts gathered on a mountain north of Damascus to observe the crescent moon and determine the beginning of Ramadan.
In many Middle Eastern countries, widespread concerns about the future cast a shadow over the start of Ramadan.
On Egyptian television, residents lamented economic hardship and high inflation.
In Lebanon - despite the current ceasefire between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia - high prices and the consequences of the conflict dampened the mood. - dpa
