On Friday night, Taraweeh prayers were offered at mosques across Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom warmly welcomed the announcement of the Islamic month of Ramadan, starting on Saturday (today).
According to Arab media, fasting will begin on March 1 in Saudi Arabia as well as in many other parts of the world, as Muslims abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset for the next month. This year, Ramadan coincides with the month of March, while Pakistan will observe its first fast on Sunday.
The new moon was sighted on Friday evening, and the Saudi Supreme Court, which is responsible for pronouncements on the start of Ramadan, confirmed that Saturday would be the first fasting day of the month in the Kingdom.
According to a report by Arab News, Taraweeh, a non-obligatory night prayer during the holy month, was offered across the Kingdom, including at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s holiest site, and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, as part of a religious tradition for Muslims.
The report states that authorities at the two mosques have deployed 11,000 workers to manage the influx of worshippers and pilgrims during the month. They have also upgraded services for visitors, including transport, cleaning, and safety support. Additionally, nearly 17 million worshippers visited the Kingdom for Umrah during the previous year.
