Ramadan starts on Friday for EU, Turkey

Islam believers in the European Union (EU), Turkey, and the Balkans will start the first day of Ramadan fasting on Friday, while Muslims in the Philippines awaited Thursday night's results of the nationwide moonsighting to check the birth of the new crescent moon.

Still other members of the Muslim world such as the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has already declared that they will observe on Saturday, August 22, the holy month's first day of fasting.

Moonsighting results in the Philippines are announced by the Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) at about 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. based on the "fatwa" (opinion) rendered and agreed upon by Ulama groups.

During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijrah calendar, adult Muslims, except the sick and those traveling, are obliged to abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Allah Subhanna Wa Taala in the Qur'an says: "O ye who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for people before you so that you will (learn how to attain) piety." (Surah Baqarah, Verse 183). The Muslim holy book was revealed during Ramadan.

ISNA, EU's Islamic Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), and the Balkan countries all relied on astronomical calculations to determine the whisker-thin crescent's appearance. While they have abandoned the traditional sighting of the moon, other Muslims, including in the Philippines, still adhere to the practice of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Allaihi Wassalam.

Ramadan begins across Muslim world

Ramadan, a month of day-long fasting, spiritual reflection and sometimes night-long revelry, has begun for most of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims.

The holiest month of the Islamic calendar, the start of Ramadan is traditionally determined by the appearance of a new crescent moon. But the lunar sighting often divides Muslim communities over its exact date. Across much of the Muslim world, Ramadan began on Thursday, although Libyans and Nigerians began the fast one day before.

During the month, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sex from dawn until dusk. And in many Muslim countries, offices are required by law to reduce working hours. Life thus slips into a lower gear during the day, and activity peaks between "iftar", the breaking of the fast at sunset, and "suhur", the last meal of the day before sunrise.
AlJazeera