RIYADH: The first day of holy month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and UAE will be observed on July 10 (Wednesday) as Ramadan crescent was not sighted in the respective countries on Monday, news reports said.
Most of the astronomers had predicted that the holy month of Ramadan is likely to begin on Wednesday.
The Sharjah Planetarium at the Department of Culture and Information in Saudia Arabia had announced that the Ramadan Crescent would form on July 8, 2013 at 11:14am and set at 19:08pm, five minutes before the sunset. The crescent would be seen on July 9 in the evening. So the first day of Ramadan would be July 10, astronomically, corresponding to Ramadan 01, 1434 H.
Bangkok Post announced that the Muslim religious authority in Thailand has declared Wednesday as the first day of the holy month. Because Ramadan begins on Wednesday, the Eid al-Fitr celebration marking the end of the 30-day fasting period will be on Aug 9, it said.
