This time of year all Muslims everywhere will be busy looking at the skies to the crescent which signals the beginning of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Deputy chairman of the astronomical society in Saudi Arabia Sharaf Al-Sufyani said the society would organize a moon-sighting function under the Supreme Court, which asked all residents to look for the crescent Saturday evening. The court is the specialized organ that will decide when fasting should start.
He said the sighting will be done in Al-Hada, Taif, and he welcomed all those who have telescopes or binoculars to attend.
Al-Sufyani said it would be extremely difficult to sight the moon on Saturday evening.
The Bahrain Astronomical Society expressed the same view. It said in a statement that moon-watchers would not be able to see the crescent. The society said the crescent would clearly be seen on Sunday evening and therefore Ramadan would start on Monday when it would stay for about half an hour after sunset.
The European Council for Ifta and Research in Dublin said Monday would be the first day of Ramadan. It said the crescent would be clearly sighted Sunday evening in large areas in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and North America.
The Calendar Home in Qatar expressed the same view.
