Muslims mark start of Ramadan
Most Muslim countries started Friday, July 20, the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
The religious authorities in most Arab countries, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, Algeria and Lebanon said that Thursday is the completing day of the month of Shaaban and Friday will be the beginning of Ramadan.
Muslims in European countries, such as France, Spain and Belgium will also start Ramadan on Friday.
Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting, in which Muslims refrain from dawn until sunset from eating, drinking, and sex. The practice of fasting during the month of Ramadan is rooted in pre-Islamic tradition.
It becomes compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty, so long as they are healthy, sane and have no disabilities or illnesses. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the mentally ill are exempt from fasting, although the first two groups must endeavor to feed the poor in place of their missed fasting. Also exempt are pregnant women if they believe it would be harmful to them or the unborn baby, women during the period of their menstruation, and women nursing their newborns.
The fasting ends with Eid-ul-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
