Ramadan will begin on Monday, May 6 in several other countries.

Rabat – The holy month of Ramadan will start in Morocco on Tuesday May 7, the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs announced.

The ministry said in a statement that calculated results from a committee of Moroccan astronomers have determined that the crescent of the month of Ramadan will not be visible on the evening of Sunday, May 5.

Ramadan is a holy month when Muslims across the world fast from sunrise until sunset.

Morocco is among the Muslim countries that rely on a local sighting of the moon by special committees, in line with the hadith of the prophet : “Fast when you see the crescent and break the fast when you see it; if it is not apparent, then make the month of Sha’ban thirty days.”

Several countries announced the first day of Ramadan on Monday instead of Tuesday, including Saudi Arabia.

The holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. All months in the Islamic calendar last from 29 to 30 days.

Muslims fast to fulfill the second essential pillar of Islam after the profession of faith (shahadah), prayer (salah), charity (zakaat), and pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).