ISTANBUL

Several Arab and Islamic countries will welcome the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Wednesday, while others will start fasting a day later.

Saudi Arabia said the new moon of Ramadan was sighted Tuesday evening and that fasting will start on Wednesday.

Religious authorities in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Palestine, Sudan, Somalia and Djibouti also said Wednesday will be the first day of Ramadan.

Iraq’s Sunni Endowment Diwan also announced that Ramadan will be observed on Wednesday. Iraqi Shiites will also celebrate the start of the fasting month on Wednesday.

Yemen’s Houthi group also said that Ramadan fasting will start in areas under its control on Wednesday.

Ramadan will also start for Sunni Muslims in Lebanon on Wednesday, according to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian.

Meanwhile, Egypt will observe the holy month of Ramadan on Thursday, as the new moon was not sighted on Tuesday evening, according to the country’s grand mufti, Nazir Ayyad.

Religious authorities in Jordan, Syria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Tunisia, Algeria and Malaysia also announced that the start of the holy month will be Thursday.

Muslims in Türkiye, Oman, Singapore and Australia will begin fasting in Ramadan on Thursday after authorities confirmed the start of the holy month based on astronomical calculations.

Morocco and Mauritania will sight the moon of Ramadan on Wednesday to determine the start of the fasting month.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

While some countries rely on local moon sightings, others increasingly use astronomical calculations to determine the start of the month, particularly when scientific data confirms the impossibility of visual observation.