Gulf countries commenced the holy month of Ramadan on Wednesday after crescent moon sighting committees in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates confirmed the start of Ramadan 1447 AH on Tuesday evening. Authorities in Qatar and Kuwait also announced February 18 as the first day of fasting, aligning with astronomical calculations.
In a statement, the UAE Presidential Court said the decision followed confirmation by the Moon Sighting Committee, convened in Abu Dhabi under the UAE Council for Fatwa. Oman, however, did not report a sighting and declared Thursday as the first day of Ramadan.
