By
This year’s Ramadan will be 30 days, a member of the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars and adviser at the Royal Court, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Suleiman Al Manea has said.
This means that Eid Al-Fitr will be observed on 13 May, according to astronomical calculations, Al Shorouq Online reported.
For the first time, Saudi announces the date of the Islamic calendar using astronomic technology rather than the traditional visual sighting of the moon.
Al Manea, however, called on those who seek to observe the end of Ramadan by sighting the new moon to continue to do so.
Saudi marked the start of Ramadan on 13 April. Both the start and end of the Muslim holy month are decided by the sighting of the new moon which determines if it is 29 or 30 days long.
Muslim faithfuls across the globe, every year, observe the obligatory fast — one of the five pillars of Islam.
