Maldives welcomes first day of Ramadan
Maldivians traditionally prepare for Ramadan by refurbishing and cleaning homes and organising pre-Ramadan meals called maahefun for relatives, friends, and work colleagues.
16 May 2018, 9:00 AM
After days of pre-fasting preparations, Maldivians woke up Wednesday to greet the holy month of Ramadan.
The Islamic ministry announced Tuesday night that May 16 will be the first day of Ramadan as the new moon was predicted at dusk by “reliable astronomical calculations”.
The sighting of the new moon marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month, which lasts between 29 and 30 days. If the moon was not visible Tuesday (the 29th of Shaban), the month would have lasted 30 days. The first day of Ramadan would have been Thursday.
The official announcement around 9:30 pm came as a surprise after speculation that the moonsighting was unlikely. Most Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia and Indonesia, begin Ramadan on Thursday.
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