To declare the beginning of Ramadan, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries depend on the testimonies of local moon sighters.
Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are all expected to follow Saudi Arabia’s sighting of the new moon.
Other countries have independent sightings, but Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco and Syria are also likely to begin fasting starting Tuesday while countries further east and west will commence as the moon is sighted.
The Qatar Calendar House (QCH) has announced that Ramadan’s new moon will be born on April 12 at 02:31 GMT, according to astronomers. On that day, the moon might be visible in parts of North, Central and South America. On April 13, the moon will be easily visible in most parts of the world.
The actual visibility of the crescent will depend on factors such as atmospheric conditions, cloudiness and the distance between the sun and the moon on the horizon.
Lunar months last between 29 and 30 days, depending on the sighting of the new moon on the 29th night of each month. If the new moon is not visible, the month lasts 30 days.