Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 16 May 2018
Muslim fasting month of Ramadan to start Thursday

By AYA BATRAWY and
ABDULLAH AL-SHIHRI
Associated Press
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia
(AP) — Millions of Muslims
around the world will begin
the fasting month of Rama-
dan on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia and other
Muslim nations, like Indo-
nesia, declared Ramadan
would not begin Wednes-
day based on a moon-
sighting methodology. That
means the month of dawn-
to-dusk fasting will most
likely begin Thursday.
The Ramadan fast, in which
food and even water is pro-
hibited, falls on especially
long summer days this year
for Muslims in the Northern
Hemisphere. For Muslims
who live in regions where
Islam is not the dominant
religion, challenging fasts
are believed to come with
greater blessings. Members of the Malaysian Islamic authority perform “Rukyah Hilal Ramadan,” the sighting of the new moon to determine the start
Fasting is intended to bring of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, May 15, 2018.
the faithful closer to God Associated Press
and remind them of those Muslims follow a lunar cal- Fasting during Ramadan is aid or simply breaking their ity nations for liquor stores
less fortunate. It is also a endar, and a moon-sighting one of the five obligatory fast. and hotels to curb the sale
chance to kick addictions methodology can lead to pillars of Islam, along with Muslims typically break their of alcohol during Rama-
like caffeine and ciga- different countries declar- the Muslim declaration of fast as the Prophet Muham- dan. Often, restaurants
rettes. ing the start of Ramadan a faith, daily prayer, annual mad did some 1,400 years shutter their doors during
During the day, Muslims day or two apart. Religious charity and performing the ago, by eating sweet dates the day.
must abstain from eating, authorities in Egypt and Syr- hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. and drinking water, fol- In the United Arab Emirates,
drinking, sex, gossip and ia both declared the fast Many donate their annual lowed by a sunset prayer. where foreigners outnum-
cursing, and are encour- would begin Thursday. charity, known as “zakat,” Ramadan is also a time of ber locals, restaurants put
aged to focus on medita- Traditionally, countries an- during Ramadan. feasting with family and up curtains out of respect
tive acts like prayer, read- nounce if their moon-sight- In many Middle Eastern friends. In the Middle East, to those who are fasting,
ing the Quran and char- ing council spots the Rama- countries, the wealthy worshippers pack mosques and expats are encour-
ity. There are exceptions to dan crescent the evening help distribute free meals for nightly prayers before aged not to eat in public
fasting for children, the el- before fasting begins. The for the poor, with mosques heading home to watch view of those fasting.
derly, the sick, women who kingdom’s announcement and volunteers passing out Ramadan television spe- Muslims celebrate the end
are pregnant, nursing or was made on Saudi state juice and food to pedestri- cials. of Ramadan with a three-
menstruating, and people TV and by other state-run ans and anyone, Muslim or It’s common practice day holiday called Eid al-
travelling. media. non-Muslim, in need of the across many Muslim-major- Fitr.q