Ramadan Greetings Heard in Various Languages Around the World This Year

Saudi Arabia Announces Start Date for Ramadan

The Saudi moon-sighting committee has confirmed that the first day of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, February 18. This marks the beginning of a period of fasting, reflection, and community observance by Muslims worldwide.

According to estimates, nearly two billion Muslims globally account for approximately one-fourth of the world’s population. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population, followed by Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. As Ramadan commences, many Muslims have been preparing for a period of spiritual practice and social gathering.

During this month, Muslims observe fasting from dawn to sunset, typically starting their day with a pre-dawn meal called suhoor and breaking their fast at sunset with iftar. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage.

As Ramadan begins, traditional greetings are exchanged in various languages, including Arabic phrases such as “Ramadan Mubarak” (blessed Ramadan) and “Ramadan Kareem” (generous Ramadan). These greetings also extend to sign language and Braille. In some countries, a specific hand gesture is used to represent fasting.

A collection of Ramadan greeting cards has been made available for download and sharing. The start date of Ramadan was confirmed by the Saudi moon-sighting committee on Tuesday.

Source: Al Jazeera