September 01, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 29, 1429

KANO (Nigeria), Aug 31: The holy month of Ramazan began in Nigeria and Libya on Sunday while people in Saudi Arabia will start fasting from Monday along with most other Gulf states.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar, who is the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s 70 million-strong Muslim population, announced the start of fasting after the sighting of the moon on Saturday night.

“Having received impeccable reports of moon sighting in various parts of Nigeria, I hereby declare Sunday as the beginning of the month of Ramazan,” Abubakar said in a radio broadcast.

Religious authorities in much of the Middle East declared that Monday would be start of the holy month.

Official statements were issued late Saturday in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and the Palestinian territories saying Ramazan would start on Monday. Religious authorities in Syria, Qatar and Kuwait agreed.

In Iran, newspapers reported that Ramazan is likely to start on Tuesday.

In Iraq, some shias will follow the Iranian start, while Sunnis will begin on Monday, like Saudi Arabia.—Agencies