Ramzan to begin in Saudi Arabia from Saturday

RIYADH : The first of Ramzan will fall on Saturday (May 27) as the moon of the holy month was not sighted in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet on Friday for sighting of the crescent of Ramzan at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

Committee Chairman Mufti Munibur Rehman will preside over the meeting of the body that will decide the sighting of moon after collecting evidence from across the country.

For Muslims, Ramzan is the month in which the first verses of the Quran, Islam's holy book, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) more than 1,400 years ago.

During Ramzan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to sunset. This fasting is intended to bring the faithful closer to Allah and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.